


Enemies and Friends

by Rioghna



Series: Enemies and... [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Amnesiac Belle, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Romance, Rum belle, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-21
Updated: 2015-07-18
Packaged: 2017-12-27 06:00:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 77
Words: 150,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/975277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rioghna/pseuds/Rioghna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mr. Gold can make a difficult ally, but a dangerous active enemy.  What would it look like if he found out that Belle was alive earlier?  Very close after Skin Deep.  Belle finds Mr. Gold after she is helped to escape.  But with the curse still in force, now what are they going to do?  Please enjoy, read, review, comments appreciated.  </p><p>So, I'm now on tumblr though this story isn't yet.  Find me at Righna7</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Escape Plan

Enemies and Friends

The man watched quietly from the shadows. He'd been following her closely for the last several days, though he had to be extremely careful. It was a small town, and he wasn't ready to be seen yet. It was close, he could feel it in the air, the savior had come and the end of the curse was near, but she had stalled a little. What Emma needed was an advantage, some help, a plan. There were only two powers in Storybrooke, and one of them was the enemy. What he needed for her was a true ally. Mr. Gold, or more properly, Rumplestilskin, the all powerful Dark One himself might have no magick here, but he was as smart as ever, as cunning as a sack full of foxes, and the only one besides the Queen who had his memories. The young man had noticed, and he knew that Regina had figured it out as well. But the Dark One always played more than one game. He came here with a purpose, or rather allowed Regina to bring him here with a purpose, and the young man knew what it was. He'd been tempted to summon Bae to help, he'd not help his father, but he would do anything to help Emma. But that was not a good plan, and he wasn't sure the young man could actually get into town or what that would do. 

So he watched and waited, and tonight, he found what he needed. Leave it to Regina to keep an ace in the hole, and now he had found it. He watched the woman leave, hiding himself in plan site, in orderly's scrubs with a mop. It was time to turn up the heat. Rumplestilskin made a dangerous and tricky opponent in the usual way, and he and the queen had danced this dance, but that was ending with the curse. He was pretty sure that the last thing that Regina wanted was Mr. Gold as an active enemy. 

It had taken longer than he wanted, working out how to follow her, finding the secret hospital annex below. He knew he ought to figure out who else was down there and why, but that might compromise his plan. Once he found the secret, it was several more days, watching, working. If you look like you belong and do what people expect you to, they get sloppy. More time, lulling the suspicions of the mostly bored and generally in attentive (unless Regina was visiting) staff, and he was ready to make his move. At first he considered just releasing all the patients and leaving them wandering the corridor, but that would be too obvious and result in discovery that much sooner. Instead he picked a few patients, once he was sure weren't dangerous, ones that seemed almost familiar. After that it was a simple matter. He waited. Just after shift change, after the patients had got their food and their medicine to keep them quiet, or would have if he'd not swapped a few of their pills. 

"Hey, Sandy, I'm going for a coffee, going to be a long boring night, want one?" he offered, as he had every night to the kind of stony faced nurse at the front of the ward. She had just gotten to the point of almost smiling at him. Pity, he thought. 

"You know how I like it," she said, and turned back to the Mirror's crossword puzzle. He took himself upstairs to the cafeteria, looking out at the evening. 6:30, and getting dark, perfect for his plan. Gold usually didn't close til closer to 8:00 on Wednesday night, like most of the shops, and it was only a few blocks away. There was no way he would be able to help her once he got her out. He would have to stay to avoid suspicion and sew more confusion. Quickly he fixed a coffee for himself, black, and one for Sandy, cream, artificial sweetener, and two very fast acting sedatives. Perfect. He dropped another in his coffee, for later and made his way back down to the basement. 

"Here you go," he told her, handing over the coffee and pretending to drink his. It didn't take long, and she was unconscious, face down on the almost done crossword. He checked her and then took the keys. This was where things were going to get interesting. First he moved his hand picked patients. Left two in the ER, one in the maternity waiting room, another upstairs in OR recovery. They were docile and still a little dazed at being out of their cages. They might actually wander off, which would please him just as well. The longer it took to find them, the more people that saw them, and wondered there they came from, the longer the search for Belle would be hidden. Finally he opened her cell door. Instantly he wished he had planned well enough to get her a coat or at least some boots. Her sweater and hospital gown were hardly proof against the Maine winter, and the hospital slippers were even worse, but he'd done his best. Now all he could do was pray. 

"Hello, who are you?" she asked as he stepped into the room, her voice a little apprehensive and a lot curious. 

"My name is unimportant. Right now, I am going to get you out of here. Do you want to leave?"

"I...yes, but..." 

"No time. Follow me, and quickly, once you are outside, make your way to Mr. Gold, he has a shop on Main Street. Tell him that Regina locked you up. He will protect you. Just make sure you tell him."

"Regina locked me up," she repeated. "Mr. Gold, Main Street." He nodded and took her by the arm out of the room.


	2. Meetings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mr. Gold finds a surprise when he confronts an intruder in the back of the shop.

Belle crept down the street, hiding in the shadows. The man who had let her out had pointed out her destination for her, and she knew enough not to let herself be seen. A car went down the road, and she slid back into the alley beside an office of some sort, closed for the evening. It was cold and she was starting to shiver, but there were only a few more blocks to go. It was fully dark now, and she didn't know how long it had been. Looking back, the hospital seemed very far away now. Belle stopped, froze for a moment, unsure what to do. When she was locked in her little room, all she could do was dream of escape, but now that she was out, running to some unknown man in a strange town she didn't even know. "Be brave," she told herself. "Its an adventure," she repeated to herself over and over. 

She slipped down the ally sliding on the icy stones, her hospital slippers completely inadequate to the slick pavement. Hitting the ground, she felt the sting to her knees, but there was no time for this, not now. She dragged herself to her feet and made her way to the alley next to the shop, labeled Mr. Gold, Pawnbroker. Belle tried to look in the windows but they were dusty, and the light inside was not strong. Fighting the cold, the pain from her knee and her frozen feet, she waited, hoping that there was no one in the shop. A car drove by, black and sleek, the lights splashing across the alley almost reveling her. This, she decided, was not going to work. Carefully Belle made her way around to the back. There was a wooden door, a small window with the shade drawn down half way. She peered in the window, but there was nothing there, or rather no one. Instead, there was a cluttered room, full of bits of things, shelves of objects and pieces of objects that she could not identify much less guess the purpose of. The light was low, and the room was empty. Slowly she turned the handle, and was surprised to find it unlocked. She expected the door to creak when it opened but it didn't, just slowly swung open. Belle crept into the room and closed it behind her. 

There was a curtain between the room and what she assumed was the front of the shop. She wondered if she would have to go up front and was contemplating her options when she heard the sound, a careful step and the taping of a cane. 

"Business is done by coming in the front door, so unless you..." he stepped through the door, and stopped at the sight of her. Belle took a moment to take him in. He was a gentleman of middle age, slim, dressed well. His hair was longish and dark, with just a hint of grey and his face, not handsome perhaps in any regular way, but striking, yes that was it. The voice was smooth, pleasant, and maybe a little threatening, but at the sight of her, he stopped. Whatever he was about to say seemed to have flown. 

"Belle?" he asked quietly. The man, who must be Mr. Gold, stepped forward and put a hand on her arm. "You... you're real, you're alive." 

"Are you Mr. Gold?" she said, confused and needing to get her message out before she was overwhelmed. "A man sent me... I was... he told me to tell you that Regina locked me up. He said, he said you would keep me safe, protect me." Before she could say anything else, he reached for her, enfolding her in a hug. He held her gently, as if he was afraid that she would break or disappear, whispering softly against her hair, reassuringly. 

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" she asked, looking up at him, trying to understand the look in his eyes. "I don't remember, but..."

"You will," he said, making the words almost a prayer. It was all a bit much for her, and she was cold, her knee hurt, and everything had happened so fast. She started shivering, her teeth were chattering and she couldn't stop it. "But that is for later, you are freezing," he said. "Here," he took a heavy coat, probably his own down from a hanger and helped her into it, before leading her over to a cot against the wall and helping her down. "Is this...do you live here?" she asked.   
"No, but I keep the cot here, just in case. Sometimes I don't feel like going home, and sometimes, well, this is Maine, the snow can be quite deep. But that is all for later. Are you hurt?' 

"I don't think so, I mean, I fell in the alley but I think I only scraped my knees, its nothing..."

"Let me be the judge of that. Let's get you warm and cleaned up for now, and worry about the rest later. I have to keep the shop open, otherwise, someone might notice. But let me see what I can do for you here." He lowered himself carefully down onto a rolling chair and pulled it up next to her, gesturing for her to show him. 

Carefully she raised the hospital gown to show to scraped and skinned knees. Belle blushed, just like a little girl, she thought. What is he going to make of me? "Its nothing," she said out loud. "I'll be fine." 

"Allow me to worry about that, I have some first aid supplies around here somewhere," he said, dragging himself up, and rummaging on one of the shelves til he came back with a white box marked with a Red Cross. He cleaned her knees, and for a moment, he just sat and looked at her. Then he took a quilt from the foot of the bed and wrapped her up in it. "I'll make some tea for us both. You stay back here, for now, and if you hear anyone, anyone out front but me, you hid yourself, you understand?" She nodded. She didn't know who this man was, but she trusted him completely for some reason. "As soon as I've closed, I will get you out of here." She just nodded, curled up and warm, really warm for the first time in so long. His scent was on the coat, and for some reason it was familiar to her, comforting, like autumn, hearth fires, and something else, something more elusive. Right now, Belle didn't care. She was warm, safe, and Mr. Gold brought her a cup of tea. She didn't even think about the fact that it was exactly the way she liked it. 

"It will only be a little while, enjoy your tea dear," he said as he moved through the curtain and into the front room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, folks, bear with me. I have no beta, so I am working without a net here. I hope that people are enjoying it. Yes, you will find out what is going on in Rumple's head while all this is happening. But that is for tomorrow. Enjoy. Thanks for the kudos, and comments always appreciated.


	3. Planning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gold fumes and contemplates revenge.

Mr. Gold stood behind his counter fuming. He had only just barely managed to keep the anger out of his voice, away from his body language enough for Belle not to see it. If she had been herself, she would have noticed in an instant, but overwhelmed as he was by finding her alive and safe in his arms, he had kept control. Now it was all he could do to keep from pacing the floor, leg be damned. But the pacing would probably be audible to her, and he wanted nothing more than for Belle to feel safe. 

Regina, now there was where his concentration should be. He'd kill her. No, killing is too good for her, he thought, too quick, too clean. Besides, right now, he couldn't kill her, she needed to be alive, just until the curse was broken. Chopping her up alive, and feeding her to the wolf girl at the first full moon after the curse broke, now there was a thought. He dismissed the pleasant daydream after a moment. Belle wouldn't approve, and it was entirely possible that Regina would poison Ruby Lucas, and the poor girl didn't deserve that. 

No, he thought after a few moments. This was something that required careful planning, a delicate touch. It had been a long time since he had felt the need for such detail. It would keep him at least partially busy. Then there was the other aspect. Whoever had released Belle had known what they were doing. While he wanted the curse broken, he had been in no hurry, or at least not enough of a hurry to actively oppose Regina, preferring as he always had to act from the shadows, or through others. But as much as he would like to continue such careful planning, now his hand was forced. Not only did he want the curse over so that he could find his son, but to get his beloved Belle her memory back, to regain her sense of herself and who she was. Of course, he also needed to protect her. The longer the curse continued, the more danger of her being discovered, or some means being used against her. No one was going to separate them again, he vowed. Even if she no longer loved him, and he admitted, he had given her no cause, still he would be there for her. If only to himself, he admitted that he would take the least crumb of affection from her table, if only he could be near her. It should have been humiliating to think of himself as he had been, as the all powerful Dark One, willing to kneel at the feet of a girl, but he had long ago given over any pride in that respect. 

For now, she was safe. He had locked the backdoor when he had made her tea, and she seemed to be cozy enough nestled in her cocoon. Mr. Gold wanted nothing more than to turn the sign, and take her to his house. He'd not call it a home, he'd never taken any pains to make it one, knowing that it was temporary, and besides, there was no reason to spend more time there then he had to. It reminding him too much of the Dark Castle after Belle had gone. But now, perhaps it would become a home, a real home, a place where he would feel comfortable bringing his son, if he could convince Bae come back with him, if he could find him. 

But for the moment, he had to be even more careful than usual. Keep to his routine, let nothing appear out of the ordinary. Discipline and order, that was the key right now. He didn't know enough, not yet. Would Regina dispatch the Sheriff to find her missing prisoner? If she did, how would she explain it? In a stand up legal fight, there was no way Regina could beat him, and she well knew it for all that she had King George as her pet prosecutor. But even Georgie boy had his weaknesses. He almost giggled at the thought. Also, while the Queen might poke around, she would have to be careful. She would know that if he didn't have Belle and she made a stink, he would know that she was alive, and of what had happened to her. That was something Regina would never want. She preferred their on again off again alliance to doing anything that would make an actual enemy of him. 

He spared a brief thought to whoever it was that had freed his Belle. It had to be someone, someone from their world. Gold knew without a doubt that it wasn't Regina. He'd spared a moment or two for the thought that it could be a trick, but without magick, and within the bounds of the curse, that wouldn't be possible. It could have been Jefferson, the Queen had screwed him enough, and he had the cunning, during his lucid moments. The problem was one that Regina hadn't considered when she decided to bring him here, just in case he might be useful to her at some point. His mental state, deteriorated as it was from his time in Wonderland, and the loss of his daughter, was not stable enough to allow the curse and its rewritten memories to have any real hold on him. Oh, sometimes he bought the fantasy, but most of the time he existed somewhere between the two things. When he was lucid and unaffected by the curse, sometimes he would sneak by for a talk with an old associate, they had never had anything but positive dealings before and while not friends exactly, they had a certain mutual respect for one another, that led to the odd glass and talk. After all they both knew what it was to lose a child. But what he did with the rest of his time, Gold had no idea. That was another problem for another time.

He checked his watch, ten minutes to closing, and he still hadn't made his plans. It was a good thing he had driven to work today, he thought. The cold wasn't a friend to his leg, never had been, but some days the pain was worse than others. There were pain medications but he had refused them. There were all manner of things in this world. Surgery that could at least repair some of the damage, he knew existed but the idea of allowing 'Dr. Whale' to operate on him...no. Perhaps, when the curse was broken, after he had dealt with Regina and found his son, maybe then he would consider it, perhaps. Mostly, it helped to remind him of what he had done and how far he would go. But if Belle wanted it, perhaps. The pain wasn't that bad, a penance for all he had done that he would pay gladly. 

So, close up, hide Belle in the car, she was well wrapped up. He cast a glance around the shop, trying to remember, he knew there were a few dresses, here and at his house. She would need things, women's things, and while he had the odd dress, he had none of the other things. Actually he wasn't even sure what exactly a woman needed in this world. It was a bit disconcerting, really. It wasn't as if he could go out and buy her things either. It was a small town, and there was no way that his purchase of ladies clothing would go unnoticed. But it would have to be handled tomorrow, for tonight, he wanted to get her safely to his house. Then there was food, he was certain she would need something to eat. He cooked rarely and indifferently, and he was hardly going to take her to Granny's. Perhaps, wrapped as she was, he could stop at the grocery? These practical thoughts kept him busy for the last few moments, as he watched the clock tick down. 

At promptly 8:00 he turned the sign in the window, peering out the door to see if the place was being watched, but the street was almost deserted. Just Archie walking Pongo down by Granny's, and what looked like Princess Snow...er... Mary Margaret, walking out of the grocery store with a bag. The time was now. He returned to the back room. Belle was still huddled beneath his coat and the quilt, despite the fact that she had to be warm now. But she looked up at him, and he could see that at least part of it was shock and fear. "Finished your tea, I see," he said, taking the cup up to wash in the small sink. "Give me a moment to gather a few things, and then we can go."

"Wh-where are we going?" she asked, her voice hesitant. Fear and doubt seemed to have returned in full force.

"Well, we are going to go to my house, possibly with a stop at the market for supplies. I'll warn you, I am not much of a cook."

"It doesn't matter, I... don't need anything. Just..." he was by her side as fast as he could be. 

"What's the matter?" he asked, looking down at her. 

"You aren't taking me back, are you? I know that the man... only... I don't."

"Hush," he said, dropping carefully as he could to the cot beside her. "You aren't going anywhere you don't want to go, do you understand? I won't let anyone take you away against your will. I give you my word." She looked up into his brown eyes, and he could see it, the caution that she had when she first came with him, fading into a trust that he was absolutely certain he didn't deserve. 

"Alright. But...can we just go to your house? I don't...I can't go inside, and I don't want to be alone."

"We can. Not sure I can't guarantee that there is anything worth eating," he said, trying desperately to remember if there was actually anything in the house. How long had it been since he had cooked anything? There was bread, of that he was certain, he liked a bit of tea and toast in the morning, but for the rest...

"I don't care, really. I just want..."

"Very well, let me get these," he said, pulling open a door behind which was a small selection of dresses, things he had gotten, he couldn't even remember where. He reached up and just bundled the lot over his arm. "Now, Belle, let me..."

"Why do you call me that, you did that earlier? Is that my name? How do you know? Do you know who I am?" she was getting more agitated by the moment. 

"I...need to call you something?" he said cautiously, taking the cowards way, at least for now. "We can discuss this further, I promise. But right now, we should go. I'm going to take these to the car, make sure that no one is out there," he said, turning a switch that put out most of the shop lights, leaving only the small light on the desk and one over the backdoor. "I'll be back." He didn't want to have this conversation, not here, certainly not. She had responded to the authority in his tone, much the way she always had in the tower, when she was about to touch, spill or step on something that could hurt her. But it wouldn't last, not long at all, knowing her. For now, he would settle for getting her home. 

After the build up, the rest was anticlimactic, for which he was heartily grateful. No one lurking near the door, the car, not even anyone on the street. He noticed the Sheriff's car was parked in its usual place outside the loft she was sharing with Mary Margaret, so no alert then. He was tempted to drive down Regina's street, just to see if she was there, but that in itself would be suspicious, and unfortunately the large old Cadillac was hardly inconspicuous. Instead he settled for getting Belle into the back of the car, the quilt pulled down on top of her, and drove sedately home.


	4. Dinner for Two

The large arts and crafts style home was mostly dark, save the light in the kitchen and the one over the front door that was set on a timer. While it was useful, and the sort of thing that people did in this world, tonight he found it annoying. Mr. Gold pulled the car all the way into the driveway. He looked around casually as he pulled the clothing out of the car, and opened the back door. It took only a moment to feel sure that they were safe and to help Belle from the car and usher her quickly into the house. The kitchen was warm, and more or less ordinary looking. Mr. Gold put on the kettle out of reflex. "Please, make yourself comfortable," he said, gesturing her towards a seat at the small table. 

Belle looked around the room. It was a good size, spotlessly clean, and looked as if it didn't get a lot of use. There was a single cup on the drain board, and a kettle on the stove. There was a hollow feeling, as if the house was barely lived in. She sat down in the chair and watched him move carefully around the kitchen. He had set the dresses down across one of the other chairs, and was busing himself with the trappings of making tea. "Let me see what we have," he said, opening the refrigerator. She watched him, curious about this strange man who, with only the word of an unknown man, had taken her in, tended her wounds and was now trying to make her dinner. It was nice, feeling like someone cared for her. It had been a long time since anyone even noticed her. Oh, there was the woman, the one that would come and look at her, the one who never spoke. There was something malicious in those eyes, not at all like the brown eyes that questioned her now from the open refrigerator.

"Hope you like omelet," he said, softly. "I am afraid that's all that's here. Well, that I can cook without poisoning either of us." 

"That would be nice. I don't think anyone has ever cooked for me before, but then if they had I wouldn't remember, would I?" 

"Is that why you were locked up, because you can't remember?" he asked, setting the eggs on the counter, trying not to press her. He wanted answers but getting them, that would take time. 

"I suppose so, I don't remember," she said, and laughed a little sadly. He turned his back, feeling like his heart was being torn apart. His Belle should never have a sad laugh. It reminded him too much of that day, the one when she had tried to open the curtains and ended up tumbling into his arms. "I don't even know my own name, how can that even happen?"

"It doesn't matter," he said, coming over to her, and leaning close, offering her his comfort, but stopping just short of touching her. He had made that mistake earlier. From now on, he would wait for her. But she didn't hesitate, she leaned against him, throwing her arms around his waist, her head pressed against his side. After a few moments, she released him, blushing.

"I'm sorry, I don't know why, I just feel...its been so long since I could touch anyone," she blushed even harder. 

"It doesn't matter, dear," he said, but he stepped back as soon as she released him. "But for now, its time for me to exercise my meager culinary skills on you."

"It has to be better than the hospital food," she said, leaning on her elbows, prepared to watch the show. He smiled, her enjoyment, even if it was at his expense was enough. He removed his jacket and started toward the closet, but she jumped up and took it from him. "I can at least do this," Belle said. "You have done so much." He just nodded and allowed her to take it from his hands. 

"Just hang it on the rack, I can take it upstairs later," he said, turning back his cuffs and taking a navy apron off the hook. She returned to her place, taking up the quilt she had been keeping around her and reluctantly folding it, before removing his oversized coat, and hanging it on the coat rack as well. "If you are still cold," he commented, pulling out things. 

"I'm fine now," she said. "It just felt...safe."

It didn't take long before they were both seated at the old table. Dinner was...simple, but he'd managed it. Belle had begged to help, and with some instructions he had allowed her to set the table, and bring the tea over before he sent her to wash up. He served Belle at the table as if she were the finest lady in the kingdom, which as far as he was concerned, she was. She smiled at him, blushing furiously and hugging the ugly sweater over her hospital gown. "I'm sorry I''m not dressed for dinner." 

"Nothing to be sorry for. I brought some dresses, but I am afraid that I don't have anything...er... we will get it taken care of tomorrow. I've not had a woman in the house...recently." There was no good way to say that he'd not had any woman here because he'd not considered a woman since she left. "Meanwhile, after dinner, how would you like a bath? I can offer you that much."

"That would be nice, and maybe.. maybe a hair brush?" she said, looking at the mess that her hair was in. 

"Easily done. Anything else?"

"No, there is nothing, except..." she paused as if she was trying to gain courage for something. "I would like some answers."

"I am not sure I have any for you," Mr. Gold said quietly, looking down at his dinner. Questions could be...awkward, still, she had a right to know as much as he could tell her. Without knowing what the Queen had done, he needed to be very careful what he told her. What did he know about amnesia? He had caused it a time or two, but here, in this world? Tomorrow, research, that is what he needed to do, maybe talk to Dr. Hopper, as much as the thought pained him. After he had figured a way to get Belle some clothes, real clothes. "But I will try to answer if I can." Honesty, hadn't he once promised that if he got her back, he would be honest with her? Not exactly how he had expected, but then he hadn't expected to ever see her again anyway, he had thought his heart would be forever empty.

"Why do you call me Belle? Is that my name? Do you know me?"

"I..." he paused, wondering how best to answer. Honesty, what could it hurt to tell her that little bit of the truth? "I did know you, a long time ago."

"That's how you knew how I took my tea, that's why the man sent me to you," she said, almost accusingly.

"Yes."

"But why not tell me?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, two posts in one day, I know, but I started to edit, and the rest just came out. With any luck there will be more later. Any mistakes are solely mine, because I don't have a beta for this one (although, if anyone is interested in the position...). Enjoy.


	5. No Fear of Falling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Belle asks, and Rumplestilskin answers, more or less.

Mr. Gold sat quiet for a moment, trying to sort exactly what to so. It wasn't going to be easy. He sighed. "Because I was afraid? I am still afraid. I don't know what happened to you, I don't know why you lost your memory. I don't want to do anything to hurt you."

"And telling me things about my past would hurt me?" she said. So far she was calm, but he could see that she wasn't buying his argument.

"I don't know, sweetheart," he said sadly. He was trying, really he was, but this was more difficult than he expected. "I just..." He paused, looking down at his hands, his plate, whatever was in front of him. Then he saw her small hand, reaching out for him. Without even a thought, he took it, gently, giving her every chance to pull away. 

"You are trying to keep me safe?" she said. He nodded. Here again, when he should be the one taking care of her, she was reaching out to him. It had only been an hour, and already, she was turning his world upside down. And he wouldn't have it any other way. 

"Tomorrow, I am going to see what I can find out about...this..." he waved vaguely. "But we have to be careful."

"They might be looking for me," Belle said, before taking a bite of her food. Mr. Gold took a moment to do the same. It wasn't great, it probably wasn't even good, but he was certain that he should eat it, if only because she would expect it. "Who is Regina?"

Unable to stop himself, Mr. Gold started to laugh. That was his Belle, no matter the situation, her curiosity would always rise to it. "She is the Mayor here in Storybrooke, thinks herself the Queen though. Acts more like it as well. But her reign is coming to an end."

"The mayor? But why would she want to put me away, why would she even care about me? I'm no one, at least, I don't think..." she bit her lip and squeezed her eyes closed, a single tear tracing its way down her check. He reached into his pocket and pulled out an old fashioned handkerchief, embroidered with an R and G in gold, and handed it to her. She took it gratefully and carefully wiped her eyes, before starting to hand it back. 

"Keep it," he said. "Though I hope you'll not need it. I can't answer for why Regina locked you up, not with certainty and even if I could..."

"It has to do with my memories?" Belle asked. He smiled gently at her, she always was a smart girl. 

"Gold star, love." he said proudly. 

Having finished their meal, Belle rose and began to clear the dishes, before he could open his mouth. "You cooked," she told him. "The least I can do is clean up. I want to be useful."

"Belle, you don't need to do this, you don't need to do anything that you don't want to."

"I want to, I want to be useful. You've been working and then you had to deal with me, and well, I don't want to be a burden," she told him as she took the plates to the sink.

"You could never be that, not ever." It was difficult, trying to keep himself under control, to not tell her all the things he had wanted to tell her ever since he had thrown her out, all the things that he had promised himself he would tell her when she returned. Until Regina told him of her death, he always thought she would return. He had been certain of it. Sometimes, he would look through the magic mirror and see her, on the road, hiding from bandits. He even thought once or twice he heard his name. Then she was gone. Not that he had taken Regina at his word. He had looked for her, everywhere, sent his magic to find even the slightest hint of her life force, but there had been nothing. He knew now that she had been hidden, but it didn't make his pain and loss that much less real at the time. Now she was here, standing in his kitchen. She took his apron from where he had hung in, and put it on over her sweater and that hospital gown which he swore would go into the fireplace as soon as he could get her out of it. It would make a merry blaze, along with the sweater and those...things on her feet, the thin slippers that his beautiful girl had snuck through the icy town streets in. 

He pried his thoughts away from his beautiful Belle's body. That was a place he shouldn't let himself go. Not now, anyway, maybe not ever. It was true that Belle had told him she loved him, that he KNEW she loved him, true love's kiss proved that to both of them. It was also true that Belle had never flinched from his touch, more, she had reached out for him, free with her casual caresses, her kisses, even her hugs. But she was such an innocent, there was no way that she wanted...well even if she had done, even if she had known what that entailed, now was not the time for any of that. 

Trying to distract himself, he rose from his chair, and moved toward the counter. He put away the bread and butter, and looked for something else to occupy himself with when she turned to him. "I can do this, you've done so much already, cooked a nice dinner..."

"Not sure that you should thank me for that, I told you, I was no cook."

"Better than the hospital food," she promised. "But if you insist on helping, you can dry," she said, offering him the towel with a smile. It was strange, to stand comfortably in his kitchen, drying his dishes with Belle by his side. Honestly, if it allowed him to be near her, he would get down on his knees and scrub the floor, thought getting up might be difficult. This, he realised was something he had never had with his wife, comfort, just being in the same room. With her, he had always felt as if he had to work harder, push harder. There was always talking, planning, her desire for him to improve their circumstances, even though before the war he had been the most skilled at his craft, a skilled tradesman, much sought after for his thread and yarn. The idea of her standing by his side, washing dishes and humming a quiet tune. It took him a moment, but he realized that the tune was familiar, one she had known before, back at the castle. He had heard her humming it before, even singing it. The walls are coming down, he thought with both shock and pleasure. Soon, he thought. And then it will be time, time for Bae, time for Belle, and time for revenge. 

Dishes finished and the kitchen set to rights, he led her through the house and up the stairs, or tried to. She stopped frequently, eyes drawn to this or that, the things that he had gathered. Finally he laughed and hurried her toward the stairs. "You'll have all the time you want to explore the house, and everything in it."

"Everything?' she asked, putting a hand on his arm, with a smiled that would have melted his heart, were it not already a puddle in his chest. 

"Of course. Unless something is specifically locked, there is no reason that you can't explore."

"And if it is locked?" Belle asked with a cheeky grin. Damn her curiosity, he thought, but there was nothing but fondness there.

"Then ask me, dear. It's probably just an oversight. I want you to feel at home here," he said. "Now, there are several bedrooms on this floor, you are welcomed to any of them, well, save my own." And I'd give you that if you asked, he thought to himself. 

"Any of them?" she asked, looking down the hall. 

"Any," he replied. "The second door along there is the bathroom," he said, pointing to the door. "My room is the last one at the end. I will leave you to make your choice while I find you something..." he wasn't sure what he could give her. She deserved everything, but right now, she had nothing but the hospital gown, sweater, slippers and whatever underclothes she had at the hospital. But it was just for tonight. Tomorrow he would figure something out. He left her to chose and went into his own room. 

He pulled a gold dressing gown from the wardrobe. It would be too big for her, but it was what he had. Then he rummaged through his drawers. Why had he never planned for this, he berated himself. Obviously because I never thought I would have a woman in the house, he reminded himself. Despite his magpie tendencies, women's clothing had stopped having any meaning to him at Belle's 'death'. Now he was caught short. She was small, shorter than he was, and slighter, more so now that she had spent so long locked away. Whatever he chose would be too big, but perhaps that would be even better. He remembered how comfortable she had been burrowed down in his coat. Finally he opened a drawer, silk pajamas. He had never believed in denying himself fine fabrics, and beautiful clothes, not since he had the ability to do so. The blue top should be more than enough for her. It would probably hang to her knees, and the robe to keep her warm should do well enough. It was perhaps a bit intimate, but he would apologize, and he was pretty sure that she would not take it the wrong way, not his Belle. As an afterthought he grabbed a pair of older, thick wool socks from another drawer. They would keep her feet warm for now. 

When he came out, he saw Belle in the room directly across from his own. She was looking around as if she had never seen something like it. To be fair, she hadn't. As far as he knew, she had spent her entire time in a cell. It was a simple enough but beautiful room, dark wood furniture, blue walls, and a rug next to the bed that he was fairly certain had been in her room in the dark castle. It was funny the way things found there way to Storybrooke, and the ones that had been Belle's had almost all found there way here. "So you have made your choice?" he said with a smile. 

"I think so, it feels right." She smiled and blushed at him just a little. 

"Here, there are a few things, I..." he didn't know what to say. "I wasn't prepared for...guests." he finished lamely.   
"They are fine," Belle said, moving to him, and taking the clothes from his hands. "Yours?" she asked, blushing just a little. Of course, so was he, and he'd not been sure that was even possible anymore. 

"Would you like a bath?" he said, hoping to distract from the intimacy of this situation, though picturing her in the bath was no better. At her nod, he showed her the bathroom, a large old fashioned claw footed tub taking up the center of the room, thought there was a small shower as well. He rather liked the tub, he even used it sometimes. It was soothing to his leg, unfortunately it was also difficult to get in and out of. Mr. Gold pulled out some fresh towels for her, and started to back himself out the door, pausing to grab the door to pull it shut behind him. 

"Don't, please?" she said hesitantly, her face gone scarlet.

"What..."

"Don't close the door, not completely. I can't..." she paused, so very ashamed but unable to stop, but she needed say nothing more.

"You are afraid to be locked in." It was a statement of fact, not an accusation.

"I know you wouldn't, but..." Her faith was touching, that and the fact that she was more concerned with being locked in than with her modesty. 

"I'll just leave it open a crack," Mr. Gold told her with a little smile. "When you are done, I will be downstairs. I thought I would build a fire." She just nodded. 

Belle laid back in the big tub and just...relaxed. She couldn't remember the last time she had a bath, a real bath in a tub. She wasn't sure that she ever had, actually but it felt a bit familiar. Not this tub, mind, but the sensation of floating. The soap was masculine, unsurprisingly, but not overwhelmingly so, just like all the toiletries she had found in there, clearly his, Mr. Gold's. She wondered how well they had known each other, really. He had certainly been cautious enough about what he said. She pondered what she had learned though. Mr. Gold, he ran a pawn and antique shop, liked old things, walked with a cane, knew her name, and how she liked her tea, and was willing to take her in with nothing more than her word that someone had let her out, offer her a place to live and cook for her. He was even willing to put up with her irrationality about the door. 

Then there was the way he looked at her, as if he was afraid she would disappear. She wondered what had happened, not just to her, but between the two of them. There was no good way to ask. Belle had noticed his willingness to allow her touch, even welcome it, but reluctant to touch her on his own, probably afraid of how she would react, she thought. After all, she had pretty much told him she had just escaped from some kind of hospital. But he was so very gentle, and there was something special about the way he looked at her, that made her feel, well special. She didn't remember anyone ever looking at her like she was anything but an object, or an annoyance. Belle dragged herself slowly out of the warm bath, afraid if she stayed much longer, she would fall asleep there, and that would be really awkward. 

Mr. Gold sat in his living room in front of the fire he had built. It wasn't something he did often, but it made the house at least feel familiar. He was listening carefully, for anything, a sign, a cry, the slightest sound that would lead him to rush to her side, to protect her from...whatever. It was all he could do, finding that he could concentrate on nothing else with her so close. The distraction could be an issue, later, but for now, he didn't care at all. He heard, finally, the soft fall of feet, first across the wooden floor of the hall, then descending the stairs. He had never thought about it, but he decided now that he loved that about his house, that he could hear every movement of her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title of this chapter is taken from the song of the same name by I am Kloot. I tend to have play lists for writing, and this reminds me of Rumplestilskin and Belle.


	6. Fireside

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which, some things are ended, and some begun.

"Mr. Gold," Belle called quietly, as if she was afraid to disturb him. He could remember that voice so well, the way she would call to him in the great hall of the dark castle when she was unsure of his mood, or when she couldn't sleep but didn't want to disturb him. 

"In here," he called. Belle padded quietly into the room, her hair wrapped in a towel, the dressing gown over large on her, and the wooly socks. She had a hairbrush in one hand, a silver backed brush that he vaguely remembered picking up some where, along with a comb and mirror, a set. Probably it had ended up in the bedroom that he knew he had somehow decorated with her in mind, albeit unconsciously, the way he had never changed her room in the dark castle, though he would magic away the dirt, and occasionally, just occasionally, add something, something he knew she would like, for when she returned. He had tried to stop himself after Regina had told him of her death, but it was like the clothes and things in Bae's room, he had never been able to stop himself, not for long. 

"Come in, dear," he said, unable to keep the endearment off his lips. "The fire is warm. Was everything..." Gold didn't know how to ask, exactly. 

"It was wonderful, I would have stayed longer, but I was afraid I might fall asleep. Thank you so much for...well, for everything." She came further into the room. 

"I'm only sorry that I had nothing more appropriate for you," he said. "Please, make yourself comfortable. The fire is nice and warm, and I should look at those scrapes again now that you've cleaned up."

"It doesn't matter, after all you've done. Actually I feel properly warm for the first time in...well, I don't know how long. I didn't know what to do with my hospital clothes though. I suppose I should wash them for tomorrow," she said dubiously. Honestly the thought of wandering around his beautiful house in that awful gown embarrassed her to no end, but what else did she have? Then she remembered the dresses he had put in the kitchen, the ones brought from the shop.

"I can think of an appropriate place for them," he said, with a slightly bitter edge. "You certainly never have to wear them again, if you don't want. If the dresses in the kitchen don't work, we will manage something, for now, why don't you take the dresses upstairs, and bring down your hospital things." 

Belle blushed a bit, but set the hairbrush down on the nearest table and went to do as he asked. She had honestly given the dresses the barest thought when they had arrived concentrating more on him and seeing what was around her, then dinner. She picked them up, resisting the impulse to look them over right then and there. Belle didn't really care much for fashion, at least she didn't think she did, but then she hadn't had anything but hospital clothes, and they were hardly stylish. Besides, there would be time for that later, she was sure of it. This place, it was like, well, it was a refuge of sorts, and for the first time in she didn't know how long she felt safe and warm and cared for. It was a little overwhelming, actually but she figured she'd get used to it. 

Belle gathered up the dresses and carried them upstairs, just as he'd asked, and returned with her hospital gown, sweater and slippers. She hadn't the foggiest idea what he was going to do with them, though a vague thought about the kitchen refuse bin was a pretty good bet. Instead, when she brought them down, he pointed to the fire.

"Make it a clean break. This can be a... a new start for you?" For Us, he thought. Belle looked at him cautiously for just a moment, and then picked up the gown, neatly folded, shook it out and tossed it carefully into the fire, clapping her hands with childish delight when it caught fire immediately and burned within moments into nothing but unrecognizable ash. Gold joined her laughter, and rose to stand beside her, as she pitched the sweater in after. The ugly thing burned more slowly, bits of it turning into charred, burned mess, and it gave off an awful smell, but neither of them cared as they watched it disappear into the bed of coals. "Those now," he said, pointing to the thin slippers. He had formed in irrational dislike of the ugly, useless little shoes that had done little to protect her from the cold, or prevent her from falling, for all that they were never meant to be worn outside. 

"Won't they smell?" Belle asked. "I mean, are you sure it's alright?"

"Go ahead, the smell will go, we can put some more wood on. I have the odd bit that is pleasant smelling," he encouraged her with a smile full of mischief, a smile that triggered something, not a memory, exactly, but a feeling, a pleasant one, like behind his formal appearance there was something...wicked. It made her feel a little giddy for some reason. She took one slipper, and handed the other one to him.

"Together?" she said, leaning towards him a little. He moved closer, allowing her to lean against him, as they tossed the last bits of her old life in the hospital into the fire. She was right, the smell was awful, and if the fireplace had not been so well designed, the black smoke that she was certain was, even now, billowing out of the chimney would have filled the room. But true to his work, Mr. Gold knelt carefully, poked at the fire a bit and then dropped some more wood on, very fragrant. 

Almost immediately the air began to clear and a pleasant smell started to erase the other one. She wanted to help, but she didn't think she knew anything about fireplaces, and besides, he was a proud man, he'd not necessarily thank her for calling attention to his leg. He seemed to have little difficulty getting around, but she had noticed a minor grimace when he got down, and the extra few seconds it took him to get back to his feet. Instead, while he tended the fire, she removed the towel and took the brush from where she put it and sat down on one end of the settee, intent on getting the tangles out of her now clean hair. 

After a few moments, he rose, slowly, and turned back to her. That she had put herself on the settee next to where he had been before, rather than the side chair, was not lost on him. For a moment he thought about seating himself in the chair, though he had never found the damn thing comfortable, just a touch to low to be comfortable for him to get out of it. It was only there for exactly that reason. Few people came to visit him at home, and he never felt any desire to encourage them to stay by getting comfortable. With Belle here, he might want to reconsider that. 

For a few moments they sat in companionable silence, him watching her unobtrusively out of the corner of his eye, while pretending to watch the fire, her attacking her hair with something like enthusiasm. "ARHHH," she growled in frustration, letting out a breath as he turned to face her. "Perhaps I should just get the scissors, I'll never get the tangles all out. This is impossible."

"Don't be hasty," he said, though he wasn't sure what masochism led him in the next breath to offer to help her. He'd only done it once, when she had managed to accidentally trip into a bed of particularly sticky plants he kept in the garden for use in potions, but he couldn't stop himself, and before he knew what was happening, she had settled down on the floor in front of him, and the brush was in his hands. 

Cursing himself in every language that he knew from every known land and kingdom, and a few known only to him, he carefully began separating her hair. Before that incident, it had been when Bae was a child, and like all boys, possibly all children, he wasn't sure, he had gotten the Gods only knew what in his hair, again. Milah had never, well despite giving birth to him, she had been an indifferent mother. He wasn't sure whether that was because of what he had done for the boy, or if she would have always been that way. He suspected the latter. It had taken him a long time to accept that, while he had loved his wife, she was never the woman he thought she was before she left him. She had never loved him the way he had loved her. Tossing off these dark thoughts, he concentrated on the beauty before him, the woman who could never be anything but what she was, never pretend, never dissemble. 

Besides, he thought to himself, how hard could it be, it was no different from separating wool before he spun it, not that he spun much anymore, though he did still. Not straw to gold anymore, just plan wool, but he still found it relaxing, deep in the night when he couldn't sleep or when the nightmares were too close. That's a little secret that would shock the good citizens of Storybrooke, he thought to himself bitterly. Not that he had any intention of telling anyone, well, maybe anyone but Belle. They remained silent, except for her odd grunt of pain, his apology, and her telling him that he had no reason since he was the one helping her. Finally, when he had the tangles sorted, the knots brushed smooth, and he found himself brushing through the shining mass just to feel it slide between his fingers did he stop, a little self consciously and return the brush to her.

"It's getting late," he said, quietly. Belle jerked just a bit, startled. He wasn't sure if she had fallen asleep at his feet or not, but regardless, it was time to get her to bed. 

"It is yes. I'm so sorry, and you have to go to your shop tomorrow. I'm sorry I'm such a trouble," she said, biting thoughtfully on her lip, in an expression he remembered so well from their days together. She was thinking about something, something she wanted to ask him but couldn't find a good way to voice. But knowing her as he did, he knew that pressing her wouldn't help. Instead he rose and made himself busy banking the fire for the night. He could have just as easily put it out, but as it seemed to sooth her, he thought it best to leave it where it could be easily built up again. 

"No need to apologize," he said over his shoulder. "I don't sleep much." 

 

When he rose, she had gathered up her towel, and the hair brush, and was waiting for him, still chewing carefully on her lip. He dusted his hands a bit, and then beckoned her to proceed him up the stairs. At the top, she stopped to hang the towel neatly on its peg, and then went on to her room, him following slightly more slowly. She stood in the door way, still looking at him with that same curiosity, that same question that she wasn't quite prepared to ask. "What is it, Belle?" he asked, finally. 

"Its just. You and I..." she started cautiously. "Were we... I mean before... were we...lovers?" she was looking down, her voice so quiet he almost didn't hear her, or thought he had misheard her.

"No," he said quickly and perhaps a little too vehemently. She looked at him, blushing hard, eyes full of misery. Clearly she had taken his words the wrong way. He closed his eyes for the moment, wondering how much he could tell her, how he could reassure her without.

"I'm sorry," she said, and this time she looked like she was about the cry. "It's only, I thought..." 

"Belle," he said, reaching carefully for her, allowing her to pull away if she wanted to. "We weren't...before, we...we hadn't got that far..." he said finally trailing off lamely. Gold didn't want her to ever get the idea that he was rejecting her, regardless of what was going on in her head. He would never reject her again, he had made that promise to himself long ago. If she left, it would be of her own accord. 

Belle was still blushing but she relaxed, and put her arms around him, allowing him to hold her close. "Alright, I just...I'm sorry I'm so stupid, and I know you are trying not to push me to remember or do anything wrong, its just you have been so kind, and I don't know why, and...I'm scared."

"Scared of what, sweetheart? I told you, I'll keep you safe, whatever you need...I'll..."

"I'm afraid of being alone," she said shyly. "I thought, if we had been..." It took every ounce of control he possessed and possibly a loan on all that he would ever possess in his long life to retain command of his body at that moment. His innocent Belle, wanting to share his bed because she was afraid of being alone. No, that was not going to happen, not now. Rumplestilskin could possess the self control of a saint when he chose to, but right here, right now...no. A solution was needed, but not that one. No wonder she had been so afraid to ask the question. He thought for a moment, wracking his brain for answers. Finally a solution presented itself, not ideal, but close enough for now. 

"Get yourself tucked in," he said. "I'll come back and sit with you until you sleep."

"You...are you sure?" she said. "You've done so much, and I've made such a hash of... well..."

"Enough of that, now. You've done nothing wrong. Certainly you didn't...Belle, I know what it is to be afraid, and I'm not withholding things because I want to, I just..."

"You don't want to do anything wrong, I do understand," she said, still holding on to him. "Not got that far?" she said. 

Apparently what he hadn't said had sunk in as well, that unspoken yet that he hadn't the courage to even give voice to. That if he had gotten her back, he would have done anything for her, that he wanted her but was always afraid that she didn't feel the same about him, because he was a monster, an old monster, and she was so very young. But none of that seemed to matter to the girl in his arms. Would she feel the way when she got her memory back? Certainly she made no move to pull away from him, there was no disgust, no distaste or avoidance of him. Dragging his thoughts from places that now was most certainly the wrong for, he tightened his hold just a moment. "To bed with you," he said, trying for stern. He failed miserably, and she laughed softly as she released him, and retreated into her room.

"You'll come back?" Belle said, trying to be light about it. 

"I will," he agreed, pulling her door almost but not quite closed and retreating to his own bedroom, praying that she was asleep by the time he was done. 

He took his time, changing slowly, hanging up each piece as he removed it, putting his pajamas on with more care for his leg that he usually took. Admittedly, it was paining him a little more than usual, probably just a little over worked. Next, choosing a dressing gown, deep red, the colour of a shirt he had once owned that Belle had expressed a fondness for. It was amazing the little choices that he had not even thought of at the time, that she had effected, long after he thought her dead. He pulled it on, as there was no way he was going to present himself at the lady's door in less. He tended to all those little human chores of health and hygiene, that people obsessed over, the ones he usually just rushed through with little care or concern. Finally there was no more putting it off, and he really didn't want to, if he were honest. As mildly painful as her presence was, especially with her memory gone and all that had happened, he would not trade it for the emptiness without her. 

Belle lay tucked in her bed, the covers up to her chin. She had been reluctant to take the robe off, it was warm and comfortable and it smelled of the man who in the course of just a few hours had managed to make her feel better than she could ever remember feeling, cherished, that was it. But the socks she kept. In the hospital her feet had always been cold and she wasn't about to give up the warmth. Settling in to the first comfortable bed in her memory, she waited. Finally, a light tap at the mostly closed door, and he entered, slowly. Seeing her tucked up in bed, he smiled gently, almost...well as if this was familiar, as if he had seen her this way before. Maybe he has, she thought, but he's not going to tell me now, not unless I remember something. Slightly disappointed, but content enough to have him near, she watched him move a chair to her bed side and settle himself down, near enough to touch if she needed but not near enough for her to feel her space was being invaded. 

"Sleep now," he said. And surprisingly, she did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a little fluffy, with some spectacularly awkward moments. There will be more of that to come, but if you expect that he's turned into a pussy cat, well, maybe, but only for Belle.


	7. First steps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where in Gold attempts to solve one little problem.

Mr. Gold rose slowly from the chair, stretching a little and grimacing at the pain. The chair in Belle's room was never meant to be slept in. Not that he had slept much, not that he had any intention of staying the whole night with her. His intent has been to sit with her til she fell asleep before returning to his own room and his empty bed. Not that he minded, not really. Just having her here, just knowing she was alive was so much more than he had ever hoped for. He would have done anything to please her, a little bit of physical discomfort was nothing compared to the guilt and grief he had carried for all these years. But he had only just started to rise from the chair when her cry had alerted him. Nightmares, something with which he was intimately familiar. He had reached out, awkwardly. It had been a long time since he had soothed anyone's nightmares, more like caused them. He was quite good at that. But when he whispered her name, and stroked her hair, she settled instantly, almost like magic. The rest of the night had passed that way, with her twisting in her dreams, and his hand on her shoulder, her hair, whatever to took to settle her. 

Only once had she truly woken, or as close to. She had opened her sleepy eyes, to see him. "Always liked that colour on you," she said vaguely, sleepily before sliding back into sleep. He had been stunned, but when the shock wore off, he settled back in his chair happier than he had been. Her memories were still intact, like those of the rest of town, only accessible in dreams or odd, subconscious likes and tastes. The way Mary Margaret reached for David Nolan, no memory, but a sense of what was right. When the curse fell, his Belle would be back, her memories intact. She might hate him forever, he realized, but he doubted it. Belle wasn't like that, too good for that. But he would make every effort to make it up to her, if it took forever. 

After that, he spent the rest of the night planning between bouts of nightmares, working out a plan to get her some more clothes, how to hide her, the little details. Once his Belle was safe and settled, then it would be time to settle accounts with Regina. Killing her was indeed still an option he would like to explore, but he was fairly certain that Belle would oppose it. Besides, it would be too quick and too clean. Torture too was out. Belle had never been keen, and while he had never enjoyed it as much as he allowed other people to believe, still it was a messy unpleasant business, and there were better ways.

Taking Henry away from Regina, helping Miss Swan gain custody of her son, that had possibilities. He was a smart lad, and Gold genuinely liked him, though he didn't consider himself over fond of children in general. Something about him reminded him a bit of his Bae, when he was a young boy, mostly but not entirely without the mud. Bae had always been capable, smart and loyal to his friends, even when many of them abandoned him after what his father had become. He had told his father once that his friends stood by him when the rest of the village treated his father as an outcast, he would do the same when his father was a threat to them. Of course then he had turned around and asked his father not to turn them into anything, but even he acknowledged now, with time and distance, that he had been a bit out of control at the time, drunk with his own power. It had taken losing his son for him to really come back to himself, or as close as he had come. 

Gold pulled himself from these thoughts to focus on his more immediate problems, Belle's clothing and safety, breaking the curse, finding his son, then Regina. It never did to forget one's priorities. For the first, he knew clothing could be purchased remotely via the computer, not one of his favorite instruments, but he would acknowledge the usefulness. It never ceased to amaze him what people did, and how they got along without magic, but that was a thought for another time. So, he could get clothes for Belle that way, but even with all the money at his disposal, it would take a few days. He could hardly ask her to wash out her underclothes in the sink like a peasant with only one set of... he steered his thoughts away from there quickly. Besides those sorts of things, there were shoes, night clothes, toiletries, all the other things that a man, especially one who had not lived with a woman in so long, and never in this world, would not think of.

What he needed was a woman, one that he could trust, who wouldn't share his secret. The first one to come to mind of course was Sheriff Swan. Emma was a steadfast as her parents, strong, courageous and utterly trust worthy. And of course, in this case, completely useless. Not that he wouldn't trust her, but there was always the chance that Regina would have her out searching for the escaped prisoner/patient/whatever excuse she would use to explain her. Emma also couldn't defy Regina, not openly like that, not yet, while Henry was at stake. She would never risk her son, and rightly so, no matter how much it inconvenienced him. Despite the fact that there was no way that Regina could manage legally, the solution might take time, and he wasn't willing to put his girl even close to Regina's clutches. He wouldn't willingly let anyone take her out of the house but himself, not right now. That could be a problem, later, he realized, his possessive streak, but that would be keep, for when she was safe. 

The second choice was just as useless to him. Mary Margaret Blanchard was everything her daughter was, but right now the two of them were sharing her loft, and keeping a secret in that kind of situation was not an easy task. Besides, Mary Margaret also had a lot going on, and he wasn't about to interfere with anything that would bring the curse to an end, even if it inconvenienced him. Slowly he allowed him mind to flick through all the women in town, who they were now, who they had been, toting up their debts to him as well as Regina, and organizing them by trustworthiness. Half the night, and he could only come up with one name, one woman in all of Storybrooke, who owed him nothing and Regina even less. She wasn't particularly friendly to him, but neither did she actively hate him, and she was a good person, regardless of what she sometimes thought of herself. Not ideal, but then what was in this world, he thought to himself. 

Now it was close on 6 am. The sun had not yet begun to rise in the winter sky, but he had things he needed to do, and if his plan was to work, and still remain a secret from the rest of this over small town, he needed to get started early. Belle had woken as he stood, as though she was somehow aware of him movements even in her sleep. "What time is it?" she asked quietly, stifling a yawn. 

"Too early for you to worry about, dearie," he said, unable to stop himself from slipping back into at least some patterns. "I have to go see someone about helping us. You can stay in bed if you like, you need your sleep."

"I'm fine. I can get up. I don't suppose I can go with you?" she asked, thought pretty sure she knew the answer. 

"Not a good idea, Belle. I need to know what Regina is going to do about your disappearance. By now, she is sure to know you are gone, and since her emprisonment of you was entirely illegal, that doesn't mean she hasn't got something up her sleeve. I don't trust her, certainly not with you."

"What about you? What if she tries to do something to you?" she said, slightly alarmed at the idea of him out and about with the nebulous specter of the woman who had become her boogie man lurking.

"Now, you don't have to worry about me, dearie. I know how to handle Regina." The smile on his face was cunning and not entirely pleasant. "Besides, she knows better than to come directly at me. For now, you just rest."

"I'm fine, really I am. Isn't there something I can do?" she asked. He thought about it. Honestly, while he knew he had to go to the shop today for all that it held no appeal to him, but he'd not thought how she would occupy herself, though occupy herself she would, that about her, he knew. 

"Let me attend to this, and we will sort that when I get back. Perhaps, you could make us some tea?" he asked. Gods how he had missed that. The thought of her sitting on the table, swinging her feet, while he sat back in his chair... He pushed that thought back hard. 

"Of course, I can do that, hardly a challenge," she smiled at him, and started to sit up, the covers falling down to her waist. The image of Belle in his pajama shirt was more than enough to get him moving, out the door and into his own room with a strict reminder to himself to keep his thoughts firmly away. 

He dressed with more care than usual, moving slower than he would like to, but his leg was truly unhappy about the night in the chair. Only when his appearance was perfect did he finally open the door. Belle was out of the bed, the dressing gown wrapped around her, looking radiant even in her borrowed, oversized clothes and he couldn't help but smile. She was going through the dresses he had brought, her lip between her teeth, in concentration. 

"Anything you like?" he asked. She turned a little too quickly, and he realized she hadn't known he was there.

"They are all lovely. I don't know. Maybe, when you get back, you could help?" she asked. He didn't know what to say. He cared little for what she wore, as long as she was comfortable, and what he knew about women's fashion was limited to what he liked and what he didn't, Regina had style but it was too cold, Mary Margaret, a little too wholesome, rather like the nuns, Emma, too modern, and Ruby Lucas...well that was an entirely different kettle of fish. 

"I...if you like," he said, bemused. That was something to think about later. "I'm afraid I can't tell you anything about fashion."

"It doesn't matter, I've never cared much for fashion, at least I don't think so. I'll settle for not looking like a...like either a tart or a vagabond," she finished. 

"You could never look like either," he assured her. "But there is time to worry about that later. Actually, there is something you can do while you are gone," he said, realizing it wasn't something he had thought about, but might be important, though he knew she would hate it, if the situation went on too long. She was never a creature of the darkness, his Belle. "Check the rooms, the ones where the curtains are open, close the doors, and keep from them. I don't want to make changes in case someone is watching but neither do I want you visible to prying eyes."

"Will there be prying eyes?" she asked.

"I expect so, and until we are sure, I want to make sure you are safe, yes?" he said, making a question. 

"Yes,"she agreed and came to him, reaching up to kiss his cheek. He smiled, pushing away all the other thoughts that suddenly came crowding in.

"What was that for?" he asked, putting an amazed hand to his cheek. 

"For caring for me, and keeping me safe," she said. "Now, you had best hurry on your errand. The sooner you leave, the sooner you are back." He turned and made his way slowly down the stairs, reluctant to leave her, regardless of the necessity. He had just got her back, it was too soon to leave her. 

He drove down Main Street with an eye open for his target. It was early and to say that the little town was quiet would be an understatement. More like comatose. The winter chill, and the lack of sunlight kept people home and indoors as long as possible. Only the light at Granny's was on. Though they weren't open yet, he knew that the formidable old woman was already at work in the kitchen, cooking and baking for the long day ahead. He also was well aware that her Granddaughter who served at the counter would go in no earlier than she needed to. Ruby was not one to be chained down. Regardless of the world, she was still half wild, still, she had never been actively hostile to him, or no more so than many people in town, not since he had allowed Ashleigh to keep her baby in exchange for an undisclosed favour from the new Sheriff. Part of him had actually been glad. While he would have found the child a good home, still regardless of what people thought, he didn't enjoy taking children. He only took them from those who were too selfish or foolish or poor, those who would not have the resources to care for them. But Cinderella's prince had come through, in the end. Some stories were bound to repeat themselves, though this time without him ending in a cage. The girl had, in fact, been more capable than he originally thought, in both worlds. Perhaps he just didn't have a lot of faith in Princesses, or possibly women.

A moment later, and a flash of red and he saw his quarry, coming around from the back. Ruby Lucas was not particularly dressed for the weather. Perhaps she was just more immune to the cold than most, but so was he. He dragged himself slowly from the car, more aware than usual of his appearance, or rather of how people viewed him. Gold had a certain...reputation, and this situation could be interesting. "Miss Lucas," he greeted her genially. 

"Mr. Gold, what do you want?" she said. She wasn't particularly rude about it, just abrupt, but that was her. Straight to the point. "We aren't open yet, and its not the beginning of the month. Granny is inside..." she said.

"Actually I wanted to speak to you, if you don't mind," he said, his voice as neutral as possible.

Ruby looked at him. Mr. Gold was generally considered the town monster, though he had never been particularly rude to her. He was neither a poor landlord nor a generous one. Things got fixed when they needed to, immediately, but he was also right there when the rent was due. Exacting, that was it. She had been angry at him about Ashleigh, well, not angry exactly, after all, she had made the deal, even though Ruby tried to talk her out of it. Of course Ruby had tried to talk her out of dating a guy who was still that tied to his father's purse strings too. She thought about what she knew about him, really knew. He had never been rude to her when he ate at the diner, not a bad tipper, but not generous either, exactly the right amount every time. He never flirted with her, or tried to pat her ass, for which she was grateful. He was rich and not exactly unattractive, but far to old for her. Overall, she supposed she could trust him well enough to talk to him, it wasn't like he was trying to lure her anywhere. 

"What do you want?" she asked, a little harsh, but that's what he got.

"I find myself in an awkward position, I need...I need your help," he said. It was the first time she had ever known him to be unsure of...well anything actually.

"My help?" Ruby asked, confused. She wasn't sure what the richest man in town could want with a waitress. 

"It's a little...delicate," he said, guiding her over to the side of the building, not wanting to be seen by prying eyes. Ruby went with him, but she kept a wary eye out. Got to watch the quiet ones, her Granny had taught her that. 

He took a deep breath and she could almost believe he was nervous, if it was anyone else. "Well, I haven't got all day, Granny's going to be all over me."

"There is a young lady..." he started.

"Dating advice?" she asked, shocked and amazed.

"No, no," Gold reassured her. "Nothing like that. This young lady has just escaped a...bad situation."

"Boyfriend troubles? And she came to you?" she asked, again shocked and not sure she believed him. 

"Miss Lucas, if you will allow me to continue," he said, slightly stern. Ruby was too curious now to distract him. She nodded. "Good, now, as I was saying, there might be people looking for her. She is safe for the moment, but there are things, things that I can't..." he paused trying to find a way to say what he wanted to say. "She left with nothing but the clothes on her back," Mr. Gold said finally. 

"You want me to shop for her?" Ruby asked. Ok, not stupid or weird, well not to weird, she thought. 

"I would like you to purchase some things, yes. As you know, this is a small town, I can hardly be seen purchasing women's clothing, not without having a lot of awkward questions," he said, with a passing smile. "Besides, I would have no idea...Suffice it to say, I have not purchased anything for a woman since my wife passed," he said it quietly, and suddenly Ruby remembered something, vaguely, about Gold being a widower, maybe something Granny said, but from a long time past. 

Gold smiled. He knew the nature of the spell, he should after all. It would fill in little things, bits that he added, or that Regina did, things that hadn't been built in to round out the history of the town and its people, even him. Right now, Ruby was remembering, maybe feeling a little sympathy for him, as she already did for the girl who was escaping a 'bad situation'. She was an excellent choice. 

"Ok, so you want me to help you get clothes for this girl. Why me?" she asked. "Why not the sheriff or..."

"Sheriff Swan is an excellent law enforcement officer. But this situation is...complicated. I wouldn't wish to put the Sheriff in an awkward position. Especially as the Mayor might take an interest in where the young lady is." 

Ok, Ruby thought to herself, definitely bad situation. While she was mostly ambivalent about Gold, there was something about the Mayor that she had never particularly trusted. But did she want to get into a situation between them. She thought about it for a moment. Ruby didn't see herself as particularly altruistic, come to it, she didn't see Gold that way either. Still it seemed a simple enough deal, no twists that she could see. "What's in it for me?" She asked. Ruby knew she would probably do it anyway, but she was pretty sure that was how to cope with Gold.

"Why money of course," he said with a smile. "I will give you money to purchase whatever it is you need for her. Purchase yourself a few things as well, to make it look good. In addition, I will give you an extra...what is fair... one hundred dollars?" he asked. Mr. Gold knew it would be difficult for her to resist. The little wolf girl had been trying to save money to get out on her own for some time, everyone knew it, well everyone except possibly her Granny, but he thought even the canny old widow was aware that she couldn't keep her home forever. "Or would you rather have that apartment you have been looking at? I could forgo the deposit," he said invitingly. 

Ruby thought about it. One hundred dollars was nice money, but she had been trying to save for that apartments for six months. Then there was Granny, how would she like it if she just moved out? It was a difficult choice. "I'll do it, not for you, but to help the girl," She said, just so he knew what her position was. "Let me think about the other," she said finally. Gold didn't look pleased. She was pretty sure that he didn't like leaving deals open ended like that, but he nodded cautiously. 

"We have a deal then, Miss Lucas. Do you have a few moments now? Considering the situation, I don't wish to deviate from my schedule, it might cause...notice." Ruby thought about it, ordering her day in her head. 

"Let me tell Granny that I need to...run home for something," she said quickly. 

"Tell no one, Miss Lucas, not even your Grandmother. Not that she isn't trustworthy, but this is a small town." She just nodded and ran around to the back door. 

Gold sat in his car with the heater running, hoping that it would dull the pain in his leg and wishing that the blasted girl would hurry up. It was still early, in fact the conversation had not taken as long as he was necessarily thought it would but still, he hated to be away from her for so long. It seemed like an eternity, but it was really only a moment when the girl came running out and ducked into his car. "Best be quick, Granny thinks I am just running back to the house to change my skirt, I told her..." she stopped, he was looking at the road. Men, so easy, she thought.

The large pink house didn't look particularly scary, Ruby thought. She had never been in, of course, few people had. She had to wonder about the colour, actually. Gold didn't seem like the Pink house kind, but then maybe his wife liked it, or he had just never got around to painting it. He took her around to the back door, keeping a careful watch out to see if anyone was around before ushering her into the back door. 

Ruby looked around the kitchen, it was clean, nice enough, neither modern and fancy nor old fashioned and run down. There was a kettle on the stove and a tea pot full of what appeared to be water sitting to the side. Gold went first, telling her to wait for him. "Belle is a little...cautious," he said. She just nodded and sat down at the table, putting her purse on the top. 

"Belle," he called as he went through the door, and a moment later there was an answer, and a quiet conversation she couldn't quite hear before the two of them came into the room. The girl he had called Belle was short, dark haired and had very blue eyes. She was also clearly wearing a robe that must belong to Gold, the sleeves rolled up, and hem at the ground. 

"Hey, I'm Ruby," she said as she stood up and offered her hand. 

"Belle" she said cautiously. 

"Ok Belle, so we need to make a list. What kind of..." she started to say, before Gold cut her off. 

"Perhaps, Belle, you and Miss Lucas..."

"Why don't we go into the other room?" Belle said, blushing just a little while Gold turned to the tea pot and poured the water into the sink, looked at neither of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter got away from me, but there are some bits and pieces that needed to be cleared up.


	8. In the details

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which plans are laid, and things sorted.

Ruby said nothing to her until they were out of the room, but she was pretty sure that her first instinct, that this was nothing sleazy was correct. After all, what man excused himself like that from a discussion of basic shopping. Still, she followed the girl upstairs to a bedroom that she was pretty sure wasn't Mr. Gold's. She wasn't sure exactly what she would expect his bedroom to look like, but this...not it. It wasn't that it was overly frilly or feminine, but it was definitely a woman's room, though she couldn't say why. "Belle?" she asked, figuring first things first. Ruby was not one to be played, and while she was pretty sure this was above board, still she had to ask.

"Yes?"

"You are here because you want to be, right? I mean, Mr. Gold, he's not putting any..."

"No, nothing like that," she said emphatically. Her eyes were flashing, and Ruby was almost expecting her to tell her to get out. She was...defensive but not of herself, of him.

"Ok, sorry, it's just, this situation, kind of weird. Gold's not exactly a friendly guy. I didn't think that was it, but just wanted to double check." Ruby wasn't sure exactly what the situation was, but figured she had done what she needed to do to reassure herself. 

"He would never do anything like that. He's just looking out for me." Belle said, more calmly. "I...I had...I ended up in a bad place," she explained, not wanting to lie, but not feeling safe enough to tell the story. "A man helped me get out of it," she said, finally. That was true. "He arranged for me to come here." That was not exactly a lie either, she reassured herself. Ruby seemed to accept that. 

"Ok," the wolf girl said, pulling her waitress pad out of her pocket and turning to the back page, they always ended up being used for notes, phone numbers, and granny's grocery lists. "Let's see what you need." 

Gold finished making the tea, Belle had managed to prepare everything, except the actual tea, and he was sure she had been waiting for him to come back. It was her way. Once, in the dark castle, he had been gone far longer than he meant to be, arriving long after their usual tea together. He had found her, asleep with a book before the kitchen fire, the pot prepared but unmade, the kettle next to the fire to keep it warm, almost dry, and the water in the pot stone cold. It brought back memories, the good and the bad. Mostly the bad, because there were more of them, the emptiness of the castle when she had gone, the hope that he wouldn't even share with himself, that she would return, and then Regina's...well, he knew now it was a lie. A lie to hurt him because he had refused to do what she wanted. Her revenge, that would come back to haunt her very, very soon. 

He distracted himself by looking back into the empty refrigerator. Groceries, he was going to need groceries. Belle needed fed, and he wasn't trusting enough to take her out anywhere. It was going to be awkward. He'd not lied when he said he was no cook. There wasn't much need. He took most of his meals out, only occasionally bothering to cook for himself, and then it was basic. He was better at putting together a sandwich than a meal. There was nothing for it but to go to the grocery, but even there he had to be careful. Regina wasn't well liked by the owner, the man had been a royal cook once as he recalled. She had thrown him in the dungeon after he was caught preparing special meals and treats for Snow White after her father's death. He was a generally gregarious sole, and perhaps a bit of a gossip, though not with Gold. Still he managed to be friendly enough to the him. It probably helped that the grocery was one of the buildings that Gold didn't actually own, and so he was not a tenant. 

These thoughts had managed to throughly distract him, so he was startled when the two women came into the kitchen. They seemed to be getting along well enough, which pleased Gold just a little. Not that he much cared about friends for himself, he had been mostly a solitary sort for a good three hundred years, but Belle was a different sort, and while, she had been content with just him in the dark castle, over the years he had realized just how cruel it had been to take her from a busy, bustling castle, to his lonely home. Not that she had ever complained, he thought with a smile, but still. 

"All sorted?" he asked, giving her a cup of tea.

"Oh, I was supposed to finish that," Belle said, a little accusingly, but she smiled and accepted the cup anyway.

"Yeah, I think I got it all," Ruby said, turning down the offer of tea. "I've really got to get back, before Granny sends a search party. 

"I will drive you," Mr. Gold said, in a tone that invited no argument, and Ruby just agreed. It would be faster. "I'll be back in a few moments," he said to Belle, as he put his cup aside. She bit her lip and nodded, but Ruby could tell from the look on her face that she wasn't thrilled with Gold leaving. Well, from what little she had said, Ruby got the impression that the situation he had rescued Belle from, and there was a thought, Gold as a knight in shining...well something, was worse than either one of them let on. Probably she didn't really trust anyone but Gold. Maybe later she would ask Gold about stopping in to see Belle. She knew he had said something about being concerned that people were looking for her. Ruby didn't know if he was paranoid, or possibly that Belle was, but maybe. 

When they arrived at the house she shared with Granny, the man handed her an envelope. "That should be plenty, as I said, spend some on yourself. I don't want anyone asking questions."

Ruby opened the envelope. There were several bills, big ones, and she more or less had a plan on how to handle it. "Yeah, I know exactly how to do it," she said, more to herself than him. She was thinking of the other thing she had been saving tip money for, the red leather jacket in the window of the best (and only) ladies clothing store in Storybrooke. Practically the whole town knew she had her eye on it. She was pretty sure that Leroy and some of his buddies had a betting pool on how long it would take her. She would use the big bills to replace her savings, swapping out the giant stack of mostly tens, fives and ones, and the five or ten pounds of rolled coins that lived in a large mixing bowl hidden in the bottom drawer of her desk in her room. Everyone was used to Ruby shopping with a huge mix of small bills, watching her buy anything was an exercise in waiting for her to count it out. Of course, it also meant not having to go to the bank for a week to get change, so everyone pretty much saw it as a win.

"I'll go between lunch and dinner," she told him a she was starting to get out. "Want me to call your shop after? Or..." Ruby said, thinking. Gold waited to hear what she had in mind. She was wild, but he knew she was also smarter than most people gave her credit for. "If you call right before dinner and order like you do..." It wasn't unheard of, for him to order something to take back to his shop, especially if he was working late on something.

"Then I could come by and pick it up, and the rest," he agreed. "Thank you, Miss Lucas, you are being a great help in this. When you have decided what you want, let me know." He smiled at her as she got out of the car, and for a moment Ruby felt something, like maybe she had been wrong about him or at least, there was more there than she knew. She dismissed the thought as something for later, and hurried on her way. 

Gold, meanwhile was making nothing but plans, making them, discarding them, making more. He knew at least some of it was his overthinking, over planning. It was a flaw of his, perhaps, one he was well aware of, but better to have all contingencies covered, especially when Belle's life and her safety were concerned. He drove back to his house, noting that if it wasn't so early, and he was being watched, this would definitely be suspicious behavior. As it was, he knew exactly where the sheriff was, her car parked in its usual spot at the Sheriff's office. She, like a lot of people, preferred to walk around town, and her apartment was close enough that moving the car and finding parking wasn't particularly worth it. 

As for Regina, he thought, looking at his watch, with Miss Swan around, she was being very particularly careful, making Henry his breakfast, packing his lunch and getting him on the school bus at 7:20 exactly. It was now just gone 7:15, Ruby should be back behind the counter at Granny's, having turned the sign at 7:00, and Mary Margaret would by now be getting her morning coffee, and pretending she wasn't waiting for David Nolan. He smiled, just a little as he pulled into his own driveway. He didn't open his shop til 10:00 most days, though he was often earlier than that, when he had something to do (or nothing better to do). Today was not that day, today Mr. Gold was going to stay exactly where he was for as long as necessary. 

Opening the door, he was shocked to find Belle making breakfast. She had taken off the dressing gown, and was standing beside the stove, whipping eggs in a bowl that he wasn't sure he actually remembered owning, his apron tied demurely over the night shirt he had leant her the night before. "Belle," he said, not sure what he was most surprised about. She blushed. 

"I thought I could make some breakfast, turns out, I know how to cook, well a little," she said. "I didn't want to ruin your beautiful robe, and I've not tried on the dresses." Belle turned towards him. "Sit down, please," she gave him a look, that uncertainty that he remembered so well from their first days together. 

"You know you don't have to cook for me, you aren't.." he stopped, unable to continue. My servant, his own mocking voice whispered in his thoughts, is that what you don't want to think about? What she was to you? What she could have been? As he had been for the last 28 years, he ignored the voice, the one that belonged to the part of him that he had shared, that he had taken on with the dagger, a secret he never shared with anyone, that Rumplestilskin, the Dark One, was not his own man, not completely. There were shadows, hints, bits of all the others that had once had their names inscribed on the dagger. It had faded to the background, but no matter how much he wished it gone, sometimes it came back to him. But he would never allow it to touch Belle, not then, not now. 

"I want to," she said brightly, unaware of his dark thoughts. "I haven't done anything for so long, and you have been so kind to me." Belle had finished her preparations and was doing something with a hot pain that made him only a little nervous. He remembered well her early attempts at cooking. Belle was a lady, she had been taught a little bit about supervising a kitchen, but her knowledge of cooking was...limited. After a few attempts that had been mostly inedible, and one that probably would have poisoned him without magical intervention (she had not actually eaten it herself, fortunately), she had turned into a moderately decent cook, especially for basic things. "Here," she said, setting the eggs and toast down in front of him, and refilling his tea. Apparently while she didn't remember her life before, she still remembered how he took his tea. He smiled, determined to eat it, even if it poisoned him. 

By the time he headed to open his shop, Mr. Gold was practically whistling, though that was really more the dwarves' habit. Breakfast had been edible, probably better than his attempt last night, and afterward, she had insisted on him giving his opinion of the dresses that he had given her. That had taken...restraint. Of course she looked beautiful in everything, of course everything had fit her perfectly, and of course he had taken every bit of control he had not to tell her exactly how he felt. Belle was as beautiful as ever, and as precious to him, but if anything she was even more innocent, with her memories in tatters, and still recovering from her captivity. Even if she had her memories, would she still want an old monster, he wondered, but he pushed those thoughts away for now. For now, she was safe in his house, and she was happy, which was all that mattered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, this is just a little clean up so that we can get back to the season, Gold, and his plans for Storybrooke and Regina. Sorry it took so long, life, an events, a board meeting, and major car trouble that left me stuck in another state overnight really ate my writing time. Hopefully I have more time now that that is over.


	9. Clearing a Debt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Mr. Gold clears an old debt and stirs things up.

Mr. Gold's mood stayed good for exactly as long as it took him to get a visit from the Sheriff, with her piece of business, one that Madame Mayor was most certainly behind. A summons to appear in court. Moe French was pressing charges against him for his attack, and as much as he hated it, the man was right. He had been confused by Gold's attack on him, or at least the ferocity of it. Of course he would be, in this world, he had no daughter, Belle was nothing but a memory of a babe who died with her mother in childbirth years before. 

"Care to tell me what it was all about now?" she asked him.

"Nothing to concern yourself about, Sheriff," he said. "It turns out it was all a misunderstanding in the first place."

"Do me a favor and try not to have any more misunderstandings for a while?"

"I will do what I can, Sheriff. Is there anything else?" he asked quietly, wondering if she was fishing for more around his shop, like the daughter of the man he was accused of beating, but the Sheriff just nodded and headed out the door, giving no real attempt to look around the shop anymore than she usually did, casting an eye over new pieces that she found interesting but nothing more to it. It seemed that Regina was keeping things under wraps so far. Still, Belle would have to be careful. He wouldn't put it past that snooping Genie to try to creep around his house, why he had told Belle to keep the doors to rooms with open drapes and those that could be easily seen from the street closed. She had the kitchen, after he had closed the curtain on the back door and told her to let no one in, her own room, and the library on the third floor which would take true magic or equipment for her to be seen in. There were other places too, she should be fine, he reminded himself before putting his mind to his other problem, Moe French. 

It just happened that Moe had fallen behind at the wrong time of year, or perhaps that was arranged as well. It didn't matter than the world was different, still he marked well every year since he had been lied to about Belle, marked the anniversary of her death with a black anger that made him bad company even for himself. All for nothing, though, it occurred to him now. Belle was alive, therefore her father had never had her tortured, she had never thrown herself from the tower, not that he'd ever believed that part, his Belle would never, she was too strong for that. She had been a prisoner, and Regina her jailer. 

This meant two things to him, one, that he had given that richly deserved beating to the wrong person, for one, but physical torture was not the way to deal with Regina, well, not completely, and certainly not now. The second thing, actually the harder of the two, was that he owed Moe French an apology, more than an apology. It wasn't in his nature to owe a debt, and this was in the nature of a bad debt, one that he had been charging French's account for decades erroneously. Who knows, perhaps when they all have their memories back, Gold thought, I will tell him the story, enlist his help. After all, he's her Father, he deserves the chance at his own pound of flesh. 

Picking up the phone, Gold made two calls. Then, with little to do but wait, he looked through the case in front of him. He knew what he was looking for, a lovely little gold pendant. It was neither particularly large, nor particularly valuable, at least not compared to some of the pieces, but it was just right for what he had in mind. Taking it out, he limped heavily into his work room. Convenient that, he thought, considering that he rarely drove himself to work if the weather was going to be good, preferring the walk. But with a bad leg, his driving was never really remarked upon. It wasn't out of character for him to do so, just not usual. Overthinking, he told himself again as he set the magnifier where it would do him the most good, and set to work, carefully cleaning the pendant, checking the settings of the three small stones set in it, seeing if any repairs were needed. If he were honest with himself, which he tried to be, on most things, he would admit that he enjoyed the work of repairing and cleaning his little trinkets more than he actually enjoyed selling them. It was as Belle had said, he had more money than he could spend in several lifetimes, even his. The acquisition of money had lost its savor long before he had come here. But he had to have something for Regina to think he needed. After all, he never did anything without getting something. All magic had a price. 

There was a tinkle of the shop bell, and he hoped it was one of the two pieces of business that he needed to get done. He just wasn't feeling much like customers today. 

 

The second piece of business arrived just as the first was leaving, much to his...well delight would be the wrong word, but it saved him getting settled again. "Mr. French," he said, trying to smile. 

"What do you want, Gold? If you're trying to get me to drop the charges..." The man started belligerently.

"While I admit that would be convenient, it isn't actually why I called you. It appears that I was...mislead, I thought you responsible for something which...well, it matters little. As I told the sheriff before, I have no intention of pressing charges over the break in at my home, and your truck is waiting for your outside, the keys..." he said, fishing in his pocket a moment and coming up with a small keychain with Game of Thorns printed on the plastic tag.

"You...what?" Moe French said, confused. 

"Your truck, it is yours."

"For what? You don't give something for nothing," the heavy set man accused.

"Very well, one thing, though I am certain I know the answer. Who told you what to take from my home?"

"I..." he said, clearly uncertain what to do. He needed his van to make his deliveries, not to mention the fact that Gold could change his mind about pressing charges. On the other hand, telling him the truth, that the Mayor herself told him of the chipped cup, and especially asked for him to take it. The Mayor was a dangerous enemy, but so was Gold. However, Gold was here, apologizing or something, for his attack. "I could drop the charges, that would be fair, right? I don't want to get into..."

"That would be convenient, I won't deny. Let me make it easier for you, I will say a name and you will just nod. Then you are free to go, and of course, this conversation never happened. Your loan was paid off, it was all a misunderstanding, a clerical error," he said, with almost a hint of a smile. 

The other man gulped, took a deep breath and nodded, not sure if this was his lucky day, or his worst. 

It was after the usual lunch hour when Gold finished cleaning the necklace, and laid it reverently in a velvet box. He slipped it into his coat pocket, flipped the sign and left his shop, walking carefully into the cold. He wondered briefly if giving Moe back his van wasn't overplaying his hand. After all, what if Regina realized that he knew about her lies? But of course coming on the heels of the charges against him, she was more like to think he did it to convince the man to drop them. After all, him in jail served no one, save Regina, and she had only wanted him long enough to find out what he remembered. He shouldn't have pushed her so hard that even she couldn't help but notice, really he shouldn't, but he had not been in a mood to cope with her at that moment. Lost in his thoughts, he failed to notice Sheriff Swan trying to catch his attention until she grabbed his arm. He turned quickly, lifting his cane into a defensive position before he realized who it was and dropped it back to the ground, and a good thing too as his leg protested even more.

"Sheriff Swan, sorry, I was... lost in thought," he said.

"Yeah, noticed that," she said suspiciously. "Thought you ought to know that French has dropped the charges. You are a free man, for now."

"Thank you, Sheriff," he said with a wry smile and what, at another time and place might have been a slight bow. Instead Emma Swan just looked at him. The other day he was willing to take any consequences to settle whatever it was between the two men. She knew for a fact that if she had not stopped him, he probably would have beaten the man into a coma if not worse. It was hard to picture the well dressed, urban man before her with the angry...well whatever he had been then. Almost like two different people, or maybe two sides to the same one. She wasn't all that fond of Gold, except when he was being helpful, but overall, she preferred him as he was now.

"Yeah, well, keep it that way ok?"

"I will endeavor to do so. After all, you have so much more on your plate right now." The Sheriff just nodded, and wondered off shaking her head. Gold was fairly sure he had confused her, which, after all was the idea, keep her on her toes. Across the street, Mary Margaret and David Nolan were having an intense discussion as they walked along. Hmmm, being seen in public, that was new, at least being seen deliberately. He wondered why Regina had set him up with dear Abigail when he came out of the coma. That twist, especially considering who they were might have been the first straw, one stretch too many to the spell that kept them all here. What Snow and Charming had, that was true love, and even here, without magic, trying to keep them apart with both of them awake was bound to stretch the boundaries of the curse. But that was hardly his problem. Rather, he had to attend to other things, but first a sandwich.


	10. Loose Ends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mr Gold ties up a few things, and starts a little trouble.

The afternoon went slowly. Gold had nothing to keep him busy, and all he wanted was to be home with Belle. He found himself wondering what she was doing, was she keeping busy, keeping safe? Was she warm enough? Those dresses weren't exactly winter fare, what if she was cold. Idiot, he thought. The house has heating, the fire was banked for the night, and she knows how to build up a fire. 

He remembered her kneeling before the fire in the Castle. "You know there is magic for that, you have only to ask," he said. She had been fussing with the logs for a good half hour, long enough to distract him from his spinning, but then she had distracted him from the first day, the first moment. 

"I'm fine, I'm not some useless princess," she said laughing. "I have been building my own fires since the war started." 

"Very well," he said, this time from directly behind him. She started, and he had to grab her shoulders to keep her from falling it. "But be careful, I'll not have you roasted over the fire, not unless you really annoy me."

Thinking back, he should have known, even then, that he was doomed. Already he had found himself concerned with her safety. At the time, Rumplestilskin had tried to tell himself that it was just concern for his prize, much the way he worried about any of his prizes, but he knew better, even then. His trophies sat and gathered dust, just sitting there so he could look at them occasionally. But she was not one of them, not one of his trinkets on a shelf, and never had been. 

Disgusted with himself, Gold went back into his office and took out his accounts. Surely there was some paperwork to distract himself so he could get through the rest of this day. But it was the middle of the month and everything was up to date. Cursing, he tried to focus on his next move. He needed to talk to Archie. The little cricket was nice enough, a good listener, pretty much exactly what he needed to be. That Regina had made him a therapist in this world was one of her little amusements. The problem was while he more or less trusted the little bug, he didn't trust Regina not to...well, bug his office. She had always been one to keep ears everywhere. She had even tried it on him, once. So the question became how and where to have the conversation with him. 

Looking out the front window, he could see the town going about the usual business. He could see Ruby Lucas when she slipped out of the ladies clothing shop, a big bag over one arm, a plastic wrapped something hanging from the hanger in the other. She'd got her jacket, he thought with a smile. Everyone knew Ruby and red, and there was a good chance that the only person in town who didn't know she wanted it was a certain old friend of Regina and his, and she didn't actually get out...well at all really. But no one would pay attention to her shopping bag, when she was so clearly and openly carrying that object of her desire. 

Looking further, he saw the motorcycle rider, August Booth, he called himself. Gold wasn't sure who he was, exactly. People didn't come to Storybrooke, not and stay, unless they belonged there. That was part of the spell. But there was something about him that was... not familiar exactly. Part of him wondered. But he refused to worry about that right now. Archie Hopper was coming out of his office with Pongo on a leash. Perhaps the good doctor would come to him, he thought. Unfortunately they turned the other way, down toward the harbour. He would have to keep watch. 

There was always the possibility that they would come back this way. Under the normal course of events, he would have run into them on his own walk home, but that wasn't going to work today. Perhaps tomorrow, if the weather was good, he thought. Certainly if Gold had not figured out a way to talk to him by tomorrow, he was going to have to do something. After all, it was for Belle. 

Something caught his eye, just a flash, as he was still looking out the window at the afternoon street. It was someone, Kathryn Nolan maybe? He couldn't be completely sure, so he moved closer to the window, careful to stay in the afternoon shadows that fell across his windows. Yes, Kathryn or Abigail as she had been. He was pretty sure her Fredrick was around somewhere, so he had never been sure what Regina was playing at, putting David and her together. That hadn't gone anywhere in their own land, here it was even less likely. But what was Kathryn doing? Then he saw the spray paint can. It was Mary Margaret's car, and she was vandalizing it. He wondered briefly if he should call the Sheriff, report it. Regina had taken a strong interest in Kathryn lately, as if they were friends, assuming Regina had them, which she didn't. She had lap dogs, boy toys, and that sad, love sick genie that masqueraded as a newspaper man here in town, but friends were quite beyond her. But it did seem that her little attempt to push Snow and Charming apart had failed, again. 

Gold limped to where he had left the phone and dialed. Not that he liked or disliked Abigail. He hadn't an opinion one way or the other, more spoiled than some, less than others, a princess like the rest. Her father was another matter, he had done a bit of a deal with that one. One thing that could be said about Midas, he did learn. "Yes, Sheriff, I do believe someone is vandalizing Miss Blanchard's car, yes, parked on the street. Thank you, just doing my part as a good citizen." Gold hung up the phone and smiled. That would definitely put a twist in Regina's knickers. It wasn't a big thing, but it would put her off balance, and he knew, without a doubt that Emma Swan wouldn't tell anyone who reported it. After all, who would believe it? 

The day finally came to an end, and he was heartily grateful that he generally closed early on Thursday after staying late on Wednesday. He had time to get a few groceries, and call Ruby about that 'order'. At least neither he nor Belle would be forced to cook tonight. He drove his car down and parked on the street between the market and the side entrance of Granny's. The winter sun had pretty much faded to shadow as he got out, leaning more heavily on his cane than usual. It didn't take any real acting. Last night had not been kind, and his restlessness today hadn't helped any. Perhaps a large whiskey would be in order when he got back home. Home, he wondered. How long has it been since anywhere was home? Is it home now? Why? Because Belle is their you idiot. Gold brushed those thoughts away and trudged into the market. 

The rest had proven fairly easy, and prosaic. After grocery shopping, he stopped and picked up his food at Granny's. "Big order tonight Mr. Gold," Ruby said, conversationally. When he met her eyes, she glanced toward the back door. 

"Suppose I must have more of an appetite than usual. Must be the weather," he replied, meeting her eyes, pretty sure he understood the message and made his way toward the front door slowly. "Hey, did you guys hear?" Ashleigh said as she walked into the diner. She stumbled over her words briefly at the sight of Gold, but as he limped out the door, she was already back in full swing. "Kathryn Nolan was caught vandalizing Mary Margaret's car. The Sheriff has her over at the police station." 

"Less gossip, more serving," Granny said, from the back. "Get your apron on, girl. And Ruby, get that trash taken out now, I've asked you five times. Too busy mooning over that new jacket, I'll bet. Go on."

Gold smiled as the door fell shut behind her. Ruby had indeed been a good accomplice. He just made it to his Cadillac when she came out the back door, with the trash in one hand, and the shopping bag in the other. He opened his trunk and took the bag from her with another whispered thanks as she hustled back into the diner to catch up on the latest gossip. 

Driving back to his house, all Gold could think of was Belle. He was concerned, of course he was. She had been alone all day, and while the house was not her cell, still it was a prison of sorts, if a well apportioned, bigger one. Perhaps for now, just having a bigger space was enough, the freedom to go from room to room with very little hinderance. But now it was dark and getting cold, and he wanted nothing more than to be there with her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of clearing up the details and moving back into the main storyline. Still no Beta, still willing to entertain any reasonable volunteer. Comments appreciated.


	11. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are about to change, but for now, the pink house is at peace, more or less.

"Belle," he called, the minute he stepped into the kitchen. The room was empty, the kettle humming quietly to itself on a low flame on the back of the stove. Everything was spotlessly clean, and he hoped that she had not spent her first day of freedom cleaning his house. That wouldn't do. He had a woman that came in every few weeks to 'do for him'. He could have opted for full time help, someone to cook and dust and all that sort of thing, but he preferred his solitude until recently, that was. Setting the food down on the table, he went into the other room. He still needed to get things from the car, but nothing was going to be harmed by waiting until he had seen Belle. 

Through the dining room, never actually used, and into the living room, he made his way, his cane thumping on the wood floor. In the living room, curled up on the settee where they had been last night, he found her with a book. He should have known, Gold thought fondly. She had built up the fire so in crackled merrily, but not very large, and fallen asleep there, book on her chest. He shouldn't be surprised that she was resting, as disturbed as her sleep had been last night. 

Part of him wanted to just leave her there, go back and unload the car. That was actually a much better idea than his first one, which was to just stay there and watch her. Without being consciously aware of the impulse, he reached out to push her hair away from her face, only barely managing to stop himself when she shifted just a little in her sleep. Reluctantly, he dragged himself back away to finish his tasks before he did something that they would probably both regret. 

He was almost finished when she came into the room, tousled from sleep and utterly beautiful. "Mr. Gold, you're home," she said happily and actually moved to hug him. He held himself completely still and allowed it, thought every instinct told him to run, or to wrap her more firmly in his arms. Neither would be the right thing, though, he knew, and instead, he smiled at her.

"Yes, did you miss me?" he said, teasing just a little as she released him, blushing furiously.

"I...uh...yes, I did," she said, chewing her bottom lip just a little. He didn't know what to say to that. Of course she did, he was the only person she knew here. He shouldn't tease her, he knew that. It was to soon, now. "But I managed to fill the time," she said. 

"Oh?" he said, resisting all the little teasing things he would have once said to her. It was painful to have lost that easy banter with her, so instead he busied himself putting the groceries away. 

"Just cleaned up a bit, dusted some of the things, nothing..."

"I told you that you didn't have to clean up after me," he said gently, turning towards her. 

"And I told you I wanted to feel useful. It wasn't as if I had anything better to do," she said, trying not to make it seem like an accusation, but he felt it, just a bit. "Please, don't bother about a bit of dusting," she said moving closer to him. 

"If you wish to dust, feel free. I want you to do whatever you want to do. Make yourself at home here."

"Why do you want me to?" she asked suddenly. When Gold turned to look at her, she was blushing and clearly shocked that she had said it out loud. "I mean..." she tried but then just turned away, blushing furiously and almost in tears. He was by her side as quickly as he could be, turning her carefully to face him. 

"Belle, what's the matter?" he asked, gently. This time he did reach for her, and she curled instinctively into his shoulder, drawn there by who knew what force of memory, or lack of it. It didn't matter, he welcomed the contact, regardless of the reason.

"You are being so good to me," she said. "I know you said it's because we used to know each other, that's why...why the man sent me to you, isn't it?" she looked up at him, looking for confirmation in his eyes. He nodded. "But I feel like I've done nothing to deserve it. I don't even remember you, even though I feel like...like I should. Then I am afraid, that this is all a dream or that you are going to get frustrated with me and send me back or..." she ran out of things to say and buried her frightened features in his coat.

"Belle," he said quietly after a moment. When she didn't answer, he reached down and gently turned her face upward. "This is not a dream and nothing, no one could ever convince me to send you back. No one will take you from this house without your consent, do you understand? No one." Not and live, he added but only to himself. She was frightened enough right now.

"You...you are certain?" she asked, her eyes over bright with unshed tears. 

"I will do anything and everything in my power to keep you safe, I give you my word," he said. "And even my enemies will tell you that I never go back on my word," he said smiling at her sincerely. Belle looked into his eyes, and she believed, or at least she believed he would try. 

"I'm sorry. I suppose I am saying that a lot. I just..."

"Bad dreams?" he asked. 

"I think so, or at least strange dreams, I'm not sure," she said. "I felt like... It's silly," she finished lamely, and realizing apparently for the first time, her position, she released her tight hold on his coat and stepped away from him reluctantly. That look, the fact that she found safety in his arms, these things went through him like lightening, exhilarating and perhaps just a little terrifying. But he released her. 

"Not silly at all, you have been through quite an ordeal, and it will take time. Meanwhile, I have a bag from Miss Lucas, and some dinner for both of us. I'm sorry there was nothing for you earlier," he said. For the first time, he realized how genuinely thin she had gotten. Gold had been so overwhelmed by having her alive that he had failed to notice that she had lost a great deal of weight. He was an indifferent eater, himself, so it simply hadn't occurred to him. 

"I was fine, we had a large breakfast, you needn't worry."

"But I do, and now there is food for you. Perhaps tomorrow I will come home at lunch," he said. Make sure that you eat, he thought. 

"Do you often do that?" she asked. "I mean, I don't want..." his concern about their being watched had worn off on her.

"Sometimes. I try to keep my schedule as...fluid as I can. Now, why don't you take that stuff upstairs. Dinner shouldn't get cold. Granny's meatloaf is quite good." Belle picked up the bag and opened it, peering at the things inside.

"Did you..." ahe started to ask but stopped. She wasn't actually sure she wanted to know. 

"I didn't. I thought anything that you wished me to see, you would show me yourself." He said, only realizing afterward how flirtatious those words could sound. That girl is going to be the death of me, he thought, quite a feat since he was practically immortal. And you wouldn't have it any other way, he reminded himself, as he opened the take away containers. 

Belle took the large bag up to her room, mostly recovered from the embarrassment. Of course he didn't look, he was a gentleman, what was I thinking? she chided herself. Regardless of what he had said last night, she kept wondering how he could not think her just a silly child. She knew she was acting strangely, but she couldn't seem to stop. Not that Mr. Gold seemed bothered by it. In fact, the only thing that bothered him was any hint that she might be upset. He was genuinely concerned with her happiness. After so long alone, that in itself was a little terrifying. 

Trying not to think about it, she quickly pulled the bag open, and started to empty the contents, wanting to hurry. She didn't want to delay his dinner. He looked as if he wasn't particularly good at remembering to eat, but then she wondered if there was anyone to notice. He lived alone, that much was clear, and it didn't feel as if anyone else had ever lived here. Except for the sense of familiarity in the room he had given her. Actually the house felt empty, almost as if it was only the place he slept and changed. Perhaps, now that she was here...She stopped, not sure what she was thinking. It was too early, she had no memory, and already she was thinking of planning things for his home? Nope, best to focus on other things. 

The bag contained a selection of underclothes, all of them nice, bright and pretty, not the plain white ones that she had from the hospital. She immediately pulled out a pair of blue ones with lace on, and swapped them for the hospital issue, the only thing, well almost the only thing that had not ended up in the fire last night. Next she pulled out a selection of bras. They had gotten the size off the one from the hospital, but these were completely different animals from what she had before as well. There was a note from Ruby, mostly saying that she had tried to get her a couple different styles because she wasn't sure what she liked, and that she hadn't found a robe for her, so she was stuck with the one she had. The one that was borrowed from Mr. Gold, that smelled of him, and she found incredibly comforting, honestly, she wasn't particularly sorry about that. Then there were socks, some tee shirts, pajama pants, and a night gown that managed to look neither sexy nor particularly frumpy, but just comfortable. She gave a sigh of relief at that. Ruby was a very stylish girl, but Belle was certain that style was not her's. Besides, she didn't want her to get the wrong idea about Mr. Gold, not that she knew what the right idea was, but that too was a thought for later. 

For now, she finished, pulling out a bag that she was definitely glad the man had not seen. In addition to a new toothbrush, and a package of hair ties, deodorant, shampoo, and other things, there was the sort of things a woman couldn't ask a man to buy for her, certainly not at this stage in their, well whatever it was. Not that Belle knew when she was going to need them, but better to have them. She also didn't know how long it would be until either of them was comfortable with her leaving the house. Finally she found a pair of fuzzy slippers that looked really comfortable, not at all like those the hospital had provided her with. More like...house shoes. She slipped them on, hardly in keeping with the dress she was wearing, but they were comfortable. Then she found the cardigan, also a nice shade of blue. Feeling a little less like a refugee or a vagabond, now that she had things of her own, even if Mr. Gold had bought them for her, she made her way down the stairs to dinner.

Mr. Gold looked up from where he was setting the table when she came in. He had removed his over coat and jacket and had even loosened his tie a bit. He looked...comfortable, Belle thought. Then he turned to her, and the smile that lit his face went through her like a wave of warmth. Whatever her doubts and concerned about whatever it was that was going on between them, ceased to matter in the light of his eyes. If she could make him look that happy, she must have done something, and as soon as she figured it out, she promised herself she would keep doing it. 

"Did you find what you needed?" he asked, still smiling as he held out her chair for her. "Or at least enough to get you through a few days, until we can make some more arrangements."

"Yes, everything is perfectly lovely. It's nice to have...well to have something. Something that isn't going to be just exactly as every other one. That gown we burned last night, I don't know if that was the same one I had the week before, or another one just like it. It is difficult to explain..." 

"It doesn't matter, you will never have to worry about that again."

"But I do worry. I've done nothing...I have no way of repaying you. I don't even have..." 

"Please Belle, don't upset yourself. And not another word about repaying me. Just having you here is more than enough. Now sit, we don't want the food getting..." Gold was interrupted, this time by a long ring. Belle jumped, startled.

"What was that?"

"It's the bell, someone is at the door."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This clean up is taking longer than I thought but I promise the story will start speeding up. Still in the market for a beta, but unfortunately, updates are going to be a little slow the next few days due to life.


	12. Tactical Decision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mr. Gold is surprised by a visitor, and new plans are formed.

Mr. Gold looked annoyed toward the front of the house. The kitchen door was closed, and the stained glass would have prevented anyone from seeing in from the door anyway, but almost no one come to see him, and those that did generally preferred to see him at his office. Still, he realized, he should answer it before they became insistent. The bell rang again, supporting his thoughts. "Belle." He looked across the table. She was sitting there white faced, terrified. At the sound of her name, she looked up at him with the eyes of a trapped animal. "Belle," he said again, this time softer, trying to be comforting. "You stay right here. I will go and deal with whoever it is." His tone of voice did not bode well for the intruder. He turned away, readjusting his tie, and grabbing jacket, and his stick.

He had no intention of greeting whoever it was in less that his usual impeccable dress. Rumplestilskin had learned that lesson long ago, longer than he cared to remember. He was not a tall man, nor was he particularly imposing, though he was much stronger than he looked. Still he had learned long ago to dress the part, like a knight had his armor, he'd had his leathers and silks, and now in this world, his suits, fitted, tailored, and designed to give him the advantage. Looking back at Belle as he closed the kitchen door almost all the way behind him, he found her still sitting frozen in terror at the table. Promising to take her terror out on whoever was at his door and wishing he'd had the time to reassure her, he limped his way to the door, dragging his leg more slowly, thumping his cane harder on the wooden floor as he crossed into the hall. 

He opened to the door just as Regina was about to press the bell again. It took work to school his features into neutrality, especially considering his current feelings towards her. It wasn't just what she had done to Belle in the past, but what she kept doing to her, the fact that she was huddled, afraid in the kitchen, terrified that someone was going to take her away. But now was not the time for that regardless of what she deserved. Instead, he managed his usual more or less smile. "Well, this is a surprise," he said, though he made no move to open the door further or welcome her inside. 

"Took you long enough to answer me," Regina said sharply. He just shrugged at her.

"You could have just as easily called, then you'd not have to worry about it."

"Well, aren't you going to invite me in?" she asked, ignoring his comment.

"Hadn't considered it, no. What do you want Madame Mayor? It's been a long day, and my dinner is getting cold." Actually he had, and he would if he had to, but for now, he wanted to make a point. It was tempting, as it always was, to just ask her politely to leave. The little codicil he had built into the curse had been serving him well since they came here, until he had allowed himself to use it in anger. He'd cursed himself for that little slip ever since it had given her the clue that he was not like the rest of the town, that he knew the truth. That was water under the bridge now though. Now the goal was to get her off his porch and get back to Belle. 

"Kathryn Nolan was arrested for vandalism this afternoon," she said.

"You felt the desire to drive over here just to tell me the latest back fence gossip? I hardly think so. Additionally, I had already heard that piece of what passes for news here, but it is still irrelevant, to me at least. You might try it out on Sidney, however. Just about his speed. Now, unless you have some desire to hire me to represent her in court, then it's nothing to do with me. Even then, I'm sorry but vandalism is hardly worth my time." Clearly he had done better than he expected when he had Kathryn arrested for her little stunt. Regina was rarely wrong footed, certainly not enough for it to be worth a visit to his house. 

"What I want you do to is something about," her voice was rising, and there was a greeting from over the hedge as a neighbour came out, dog on a leash. Gold waved slightly. He didn't encourage friendliness, but neither did he discourage it, as long as it was nothing more than a brief greeting when one or the other was coming or going. "Maybe we had best take this inside?" Regina hissed at him. 

"I suppose," he said, reminding himself that the game needed to be played carefully. Besides, if he resisted too much, she would be certain he was hiding something, like Belle, as opposed to simply not wanting Regina in his house. He opened the door wider, stepping back carefully. Regina moved past him quickly, and he indicated the first door, the small front parlour that he used for nothing particular except storing some of his treasures. It looked a bit like a museum, and wasn't designed to make people feel welcome. Not that any of his house was, but this was even more so. Regina proceeded him and sat down in a particularly uncomfortable piece of victoriana that he wasn't entirely sure how he had come by. He elected to stand himself, both because his leg was bothering him and because he didn't want to encourage her to stay one moment longer than she had to. "Now, what is it you want from me, your majesty? And what has it to do with Kathryn Nolan's legal issues? As you know, I am not currently practicing law outside of the odd contract."

"Yes, I also heard that you had settled your own legal troubles, or at least that Moe French had dropped the charges. Care to tell me how that happened?" 

"Not particularly. We managed to come to an equitable solution."

"You and Moe French? Hard to believe, especially after the way daddy treated his little girl. Who would have thought you had finally learned to forgive?" She said viciously. she was fishing, and Rumplestilskin knew it, and her. He turned his darkest gaze on her, and to her credit, Regina only barely flinched. He wondered. She didn't appear to be looking for signs of Belle, perhaps she didn't know yet that she had escaped, or possibly their unknown benefactor had laid a false trail. Or Regina was just playing that part extremely cool, worried as she was about the rest. 

"Forgiven? Hardly. But jail doesn't serve my purposes, and rather interestingly, the judge involved seems holds a grudge against me. Strange since we've never actually met, in this world, but then I have noticed some interesting...holdovers. I've not finished with Mr. French, not by a long shot. But you are not here to discuss my situation, either. Tell me what it is you want, Regina, as I said, I would like to get back to my dinner, Granny's meatloaf should not be left to get cold."

"What do... As if you don't know. Emma Swan is here, and refuses to leave. David has left Kathryn for Mary Margaret and asked for a divorce, and then there is that stranger, the one on the motorcycle," she said angrily. "The curse is weakening, I want you to do something about it, to stop it." 

"You are making some significantly large assumptions there, dearie," he said, his voice pitching up higher than usual, and his expression shifting from neutral to something darker, more cunning. "The first one is that I actually want to do something about it. You are the one that decided to push the boundaries of the curse by putting Kathryn with David, or should I say Abigail with Charming? It didn't work out particularly well the last time, now did it? What made you think you would have any better luck than King George did? Curses are delicate things, your Majesty, and true love is a powerful force, as you know. Where is Fredrick, by the way? I've not seen him, but he must be here, somewhere."

"You have to do this for me, you built it, there must be something..." Clearly it was more than just Charming and Snow, perhaps she had found out something, had a fight with Henry, or possibly just realized that Emma wasn't going to go away, not without the boy. As if they could leave now that they were a part of it. 

"I don't have to do anything, your majesty," he reminded her drily. Time she remembered that he was not one of her subjects, and never had been. 

"What do you want? I'm sure I have something you want. Let's make a deal," she said. 

"As much as I might enjoy a good deal, I'm afraid that this time I must decline," he said, trying to keep the smirk back. Regina looked furious, but behind the fury was something else, fear, and he was enjoying every minute of it. 

"But why, surely there must be something you want?" she asked. He could see the wheels turning. Perhaps for the first time she was regretting that he didn't know she had Belle, or she was regretting that she had lost her. Either way, the only bargaining piece that she could have had, that would have meant anything to him, or at least that she knew of, was safely in his kitchen right now.

"Perhaps, but that matters very little at the moment. First, the curse is a fact. It has been cast. While there was some room for adjustment, there is a limit to what can be done after this long, and magic would be required to tinker with it, as you know. Even then, it would be dangerous. So as you see, there is nothing I could do if I was inclined."

"Surely there is something that can be done. If not a magical solution, then something, maybe a detail within the curse itself? Surely you could find a way to help me?" Her voice was pleasant, clearly she was trying her persuasive best. Pity he was immune to her charm. He looked at her, pretending to mull it over. It was almost tempting to see how far she would push, and what she would offer him. It wouldn't do to just alienate her, not yet. Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer. For now, let her think he was at least an ally. 

"I will consider it," he said, finally. "Perhaps there is a non magical solution. Really, does it matter if Kathryn and David are together, or is merely keeping he and Snow White apart?" Rumplestilskin used her real name, enjoying the irritation that hearing the name caused Regina. 

"Well, of course it matters, if Kathryn loves..." Regina paused. Clearly she had not given the details much thought. Something definitely had her off her game. Tomorrow he was going to have to make an effort to find out exactly what it was. He had not seen her this wrong footed in years. 

Hmmmm, he thought. Giving things away, it really isn't like you, dear. But aloud he said nothing, simply stood before her, leaning as casually as he could on his cane. He could feel his old self, the mannerisms just barely buried, the urge to laugh at her, that high pitched cackle that went straight down her nerves. 

"I need to think about that," she said finally. "Its not as simple a question as I thought. That is why I came to you," Regina said inclining her head regally at him. Flattery, now, that was a new one, or at least long disused. He wondered what tactic would come next. She had tried most of them on him over the years with varying degrees of success, or rather he had allowed her to think some of them worked. Flattery, of course, was variable. But he wasn't giving any sign today. Let her keep guessing for now, see what she tried next, how desperate she was. He didn't smile.

"Then there is the matter of my price," he said, blandly. Regina rose slowly, and smiled at him. she moved deliberately, closing on where he was standing. He watched cautiously, carefully shifting his weight on his bad leg, in case he needed to move quickly. Gold wasn't sure exactly what her new tactic was, but he liked to be prepared.

"Rumple, my old friend, surely we can think of something," she said, licking her lips and reaching out a hand. He caught her before it neared him. Seduction. The tactic didn't exactly surprise him, or rather, only the timing did. He'd been wondering for years when she would finally get that desperate, even though the thought brought an acid taste to the back of his throat as he tried to swallow down the nausea that came with it. In fact, he had considered, long ago what he would do if she ever did make that particular move. He'd even briefly, in his darker, more bitter moments considered allowing it, if only because he knew how much the idea of touching him revolted her. She had never been particularly good at hiding that, even when she'd been his student. It had always been a complicated relationship. But then there was the other side of that, that he couldn't have lived with himself. There were some depths to which even he wouldn't sink

Instead he caught her hand and pulled her closer to him, close enough to whisper in her ear. There is was, the fear, the disgust, the hate that she usually hid so well. "I'll remind you, dearie, that I was playing this game long before you were born, and for higher stakes than your shopworn favours. With your mother, in fact." He leaned even closer. She was now trying actively to get away, aware that she had overplayed her hand, but he was stronger than she expected. His lips were almost touching her ear, close enough that his breath tickled along her skin. She shivered, gooseflesh rising over her body. "Besides, you prefer your little boy toys, the ones that only come panting after you because you control them, like poor dear dead Sheriff Graham. Don't ever think that you can do that with me, dearie, I have no heart. Thought I suppose you could try it on with David, I believe you tried that before, did you not?" 

Regina said nothing, There was nothing to say, and he knew it. She would probably have blushed, if she were capable of it, but shame didn't come naturally to her, nor embarrassment, unlike his Belle. Belle, the thought alone was enough to bring him back to present. The game suddenly lost all its appeal, leaving only his disgust with both Regina and himself. He released her, with out a word and stepped away. The Queen was still a little shaky on her heels. "Go on, now, dearie. I think we understand each other. When you have decided what exactly it is that you want, we can discuss it. That and the price." Regina turned hastily, nodding as she headed for the door. She was trying to hold onto her dignity, but he could see exactly how badly he had shaken her. He wanted to be pleased, he did, but instead his thoughts turned to Belle, and how frightened she must be. Hopefully she had overheard none of what was said, the walls where thick, so at least she would be spared that. "Regina," he called, as she got the door open and was standing, on foot on the porch. "Next time, come and see me at the shop. I prefer to conduct business there. After all, business and pleasure should be kept separate." He laughed as the door slammed shut hard enough to rattle the stain glass panels, but stopped the moment that he heard her heels clatter off the porch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took a turn far different from what I expected. Be kind, I've never written Regina before and I am not quite sure of her voice. Comments welcome, Beta still needed. Enjoy. I'm traveling part of this coming week so updates will not necessarily be as regular as I would like.


	13. Closer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the aftermath of Regina's visit, Belle and Gold talk.

Gold locked the front door and then, moving considerably faster than he had come out, he returned to the kitchen. "Belle," he said, quietly. She was not sitting where he had left her, and he felt a chill go through him. Where could she have gone? He was certain she would not have gone through to the dinning room, the door opened directly into the front parlour, and as he had never closed the pocket doors between the two rooms, he wasn't even sure they worked. That left the back door, which he assured himself was still locked. Carefully, he looked around the room. Their plates were not on the table, the cooker was on low, so she had taken the time to do something about their dinner.

"Belle," he called a little louder. Where could that girl have gotten? He listened carefully. There was a quiet sound, muffled. It took a moment to figure out where it was coming from. Finally he opened the door to the butler's pantry, a room full of cupboards and cabinets, all filled with bits of china, silver and other odds and ends he had picked up. In the back corner, where the light from the door couldn't reach, he found her, huddled in the corner behind a cupboard that stuck out particularly far. "Belle, it's alright, you can come out, dear."

Blue eyes, looking out of long, dark hair, huddled in the back of the closet. "Is she gone?" The words went through him like a lightning bolt. She. 

"Yes, will you come out? Or shall I bring dinner here. I suppose we could picnic, though I'm not sure how comfortable we will be." He tried to keep it light. If she desired it, he swore he would have his dinner on the floor, dignity be damned, and then he was going to take the pain out on the deserving party. She looked up at him, almost as if she was considering the idea but she moved toward him. Gold held a hand out to her, and she took it. "There," he said. "No one here but me, dear. Scary enough, I'm sure..."

"You don't scare me, Mr. Gold, why should you?" she asked as she allowed him to lead her back into the kitchen.

"There are people in this town that would tell you that I am a monster," he said conversationally, as he went to get their plates. He didn't want to have this conversation with her, didn't want her to look at him the way other people did, he could never face that look from her. 

"Then they are wrong," she said rather vehemently. Her eagerness to defend him made his heart swell, even though he was certain that he had done nothing to deserve it.

"Would you care to tell me how you ended up in the pantry?" he asked lightly, changing the subject. That was definitely bordering on dangerous territory. He put their plates back on the table, and turned to remove his jacket again. With Belle here, he actually felt like relaxing. It was an unusual feeling for him, but he thought it could get used to it. 

Belle looked at him, chewing her lower lip just a little. It seemed foolish, sitting here in the well lit kitchen, warm plates of food before them, Mr. Gold sitting next beside her at the round table. She took a moment, to gather her thoughts. She didn't want him to think her a coward or a fool, but when she looked up, his face showed nothing but genuine concern and something else that she chose not to examine to closely, not yet, preferring to file it away for later. Instead she started to tell him what happened, slowly, afraid to look at him. 

"When you went out, I waited, and I listened for you. After a few minutes, I was certain you would be longer than you wanted, so I put the plates in the oven and went to listen at the door. I...wasn't trying to eavesdrop. I just wasn't sure..." He waved her concerns away, as if her listening at doors was the last thing in the world he expected or was worried about, which is was, though what she heard, that could be something else entirely.

She nodded and continued. "I couldn't hear anything really, even your voices, so I opened the door just a crack more, not enough to look out though. I heard you, or rather I heard footsteps, not yours, a woman's, the sound of heels, then I heard that voice. I recognized it, from the hospital. Sometimes...sometimes she would come and look through the door at me, and then she would laugh. I was so afraid," she said miserably, a tear starting to roll down her cheek. 

Gold couldn't stand to see her hurting so much, he pulled a large silk handkerchief out of his pocket and offered it to her, moving closer. He wanted to pull her into his arms, to tell her that it was ok, but he was frozen, unsure of his welcome. Instead he reached out, leaving the offer there, and Belle, his beautiful, brave Belle, moved to him without even a thought, allowing him to pull her, letting her head rest on his shoulder. 

"I wanted to go in there, I was afraid she would do something, try to hurt you or take you away, but I knew you could handle her, and if she saw me it would be bad. Then I started to wonder if you had really let her in voluntarily, and what would happen if she came in here. So I hid," Belle said, looking up at him.

"You did the right thing. I'd never have let her in here, but as you said, I wasn't interested in having her in the house at all. If she had threatened you, though..." he stopped biting back the words almost visibly. He couldn't tell her that, not Belle, even without her memories, she wouldn't want to know that he could and would kill for her, to protect her, with no hesitation, and no matter the cost to others, even himself. Until that moment, Rumplestilskin hadn't known it himself. It was a bit disturbing really, to realize that if Regina had threatened Belle, he would have thrown all his plans away, all the years of work and the pain, even the chance to find his son. He would curse them all to this half life in a world where they didn't belong, if only to protect her. He would regret it afterward, of course, curse himself for his temper and his foolishness. But he'd promised himself that he would never fail her again.

"I know," she said, looking up at him with those blue eyes that had haunted his dreams since the day he had thrown her out, regretting every harsh word that came from his lips, and barely controlling his desire to fling himself after her the moment the door closed. "I trust you." The words, spoken so easily by a woman who had no memory of his betrayal almost broke him. 

"You are too kind to an old...man," he said, resisting the urge to tell the truth. Old Monster, that was what he was, not deserving of anything, certainly not the trust of the girl in his arms. 

"You aren't old," she said, smiling at him. He returned the smile, but changed the subject.

"Dinner is getting cold, we really should eat it before its ruined." She released him, but her reluctance was clear and it made his heart swell and ache by turns. If she offered him her love again, he knew that he hadn't the strength to turn her away, no matter how much he should. He had always been a coward, and even knowing that he had nothing to offer her, just an old monster with a bad leg, and past filled with death and horror. But he had turned her away once, to do so again, he would just as soon rip his own heart from his chest and grind it to powder. he turned away from those dark thoughts, though, and smiled at Belle, and began to eat his dinner. 

After dinner, she insisted on clearing up, telling him to make himself comfortable in the other room. "Go on, you've done so much today. I'll be there in a moment." He retired from the room with grace, knowing that look on her face. The fire had burned down and he knelt carefully, his knee aflame in agony after the long night, and day. After he had built it up, it was only sheer willpower and possibly his own stubbornness that got him from the floor onto the settee. He moved the book that Belle had been reading, cast a curious eye over it, a history text that he himself had read when he first arrived here. While he had the same grounding as everyone else who the Queen had brought here, he also had all his memories, which meant he was also more inclined to question the world they had come to, and to try to figure out where the portal that his son had come through had landed him. He put it on the side table, remembering how many times he had sat down only to find one of her books occupying the seat before him. It was familiar, and reminded him of other days. Gold could hear Belle singing in the kitchen. She had left the door open and when she turned and caught his eye, she smiled at him. 

Belle, after Bae she was the only person in his life he could remember ever being happy to see him for no reason. Neither of them wanted anything, cared about his power, his wealth or anything else, just him. It frightened him. He'd never had anything worth giving before his curse, and yet he knew his son would have given anything for that life, the two of them, the poor house, frequently hungry, and cold, but together. Milah, funny, he'd not thought of her for years, but somehow, now again she came up, always in comparison to Belle. When he had met her, first caught her eye, he had been thrilled. Oh, it was hardly great love. He was older, a journeyman spinner well set to be the youngest Master in the kingdom. A skilled craftsman couldn't marry until he was at least a journeyman, for an apprentice has nothing to offer. By that time, all the younger, more exciting adventurous young men had already gone off to the war, and died, or come home injured, but they had not yet started taking men like him. She was beautiful, exciting, and he was certain that love would come in time. It did, more or less, though if he was honest, he probably always loved her more than she loved him. 

Perhaps, if he had never encountered the seer, if he had gone to battle and lived, who knew. One thing he was certain of, had it been Belle, she would have understood his choice, she would have been the mother his son deserved, even if she was far more than he ever had or ever would. He was roused from his dark thoughts when Belle came in. 

"There, see, no time at all," she said, settling herself on the other side of the settee. It was very cozy, the fire crackling merrily, and he couldn't help but smile. How far they had gone to wind up together, sitting by a fire as they used to. Of course he was not at his wheel, nor was she reading quietly. For the moment it was just the two of them. "Can I ask you a question? Or, well, a few of them?" she asked quietly.

"I believe you just did," he said lightly. "But of course you are welcome to ask me anything you wish. I will try to answer, unless its something that..." 

She waved him off. "Yes, nothing about my missing memory. I understand, at least I am trying to, its a little frustrating, to know that you know more about me than I do about myself."

"Isn't that frequently the way though? Now, what did you want to know, dear?"

"This is a little, well, stupid, but, what's my surname? Such a stupid thing not to remember, like not knowing my own name."

"It will come back," he said reassuringly And if it doesn't Regina, you will pay for that as well. What she had done to Belle was something that the curse really wasn't designed to do. Probably why some of the things, like the comment in her sleep, and possibly some of her nightmares, managed to slip through. "And your surname is French."

"Belle French," she said questioningly, as if she was trying it out to see if she liked it. "Belle French."

"Does it mean anything to you?"

"Not really, its familiar, but that's all. Like something I have forgotten and someone is trying to tell me about it. I am sure I am not making any sense," she said.

"No, you are fine. Now, what else did you want to ask me? That was simple enough."

"Alright, but you don't have to answer if you don't want... I mean I know you said, but its not the same, not now and..." She was dithering, which wasn't really like her unless for some reason she was really worried.

"What is it, love?" he said, taking her hand in concern.

"What is your name? I mean your proper name. You call me Belle, and well, you implied that we were close, but you've not told me." Gold began to laugh and she joined him. Actually he wasn't sure what to say. He had been issued a first name, as everyone had, near or at least related to their old names, in most cases. But he had never used his. Everyone called him Mr. Gold. It was on his identity card, and his driving license, but that was it. Even his business cards just said R. Gold. "Is it that awful that you don't want me to know?" she said, still giggling. 

"Honestly Belle, its that no one has called me by my name in so long," he said. And no one will now, I certainly can't tell you my real name, no matter how much I want to, he added to himself. "It's Richard, but you may most certainly use it. I...I would like that," he said finally.

"Richard Gold." Belle said, trying it out. He was a little surprised by the reaction. She seemed...puzzled. 

"A humble name, but my own. You don't like it?" he asked, teasing just a little. 

"It just doesn't...seem like you," she said after a moment. "I don't know why, but it just doesn't fit."

"Probably why no one uses it, but you are welcome to it."

"Did I call you that, before..." she asked slowly. 

"You did me the honor of calling me by my given name, yes," he said more diplomatically than was perhaps necessary, but names had power and in her state, he was being very careful. 

"Richard," she said, and smiled shyly at him. He could feel warmth start through him and it wasn't from the fire. Good thing she didn't have his real name, to hear her call his name like that just might undo him. "I can get used to it," she said, then she reached out and took his hand. He moved to be closer to her, cursing slightly under his breath as his bad leg sent a shot of pain straight through him. 

"Are you alright? Is your leg bothering you?"

"It's nothing," he said brusquely hoping she wouldn't make anything of it, didn't remind him of what he didn't have to offer her, a half lame old spinner, but that wasn't Belle.

"Let me do something for you, can I get you something, a pain killer?" she was clearly distressed by his pain.

"Nothing," he said, trying to keep from taking his mood out on her. "I'm not fond of pain pills. I'd rather the pain and be clear headed." She nodded. 

"A drink?" she asked, seeing a decanter on the sideboard. He nodded, a little whiskey would ease at least some of the pain, and maybe something else. She hopped up and poured him a measure into a lovely crystal glass and brought it to him. He smiled as he took the glass from her hand and then froze in shock and horror, as she dropped down to her knees and carefully laid her small hands on his injured knee. 

"What...what are you doing?" he said, his voice coming out somewhere between a whisper and a croak. 

"Trying to help," she said, and she gently but firmly began to massage his injured knee. "Let me?"

I'm in hell, he thought, or heaven, or both. The feeling of her hands on his leg was like a fire, going all the wrong places, but he couldn't bring himself to tell her to stop. All she was trying to do was offer him comfort, take a little of the pain away, make up for what she saw as his generosity. He felt like a pervert, like he was taking advantage of her. It was taking all his willpower not to respond or at least not in the way his body wanted to. He had thought when he lost her that that part of him had died too, but with her return, well this morning's cold shower had not done his leg any favours either. "Belle, there is no need..."

"Of course there is. It's not like its the first time I've..." she stopped, and he held statue still, hoping beyond hope that the answer came to her, one tiny chink in the wall. "I remember doing this, it feels so familiar but..." she stopped and Rumplestilskin reached out a hand and pulled her to him again. 

"Don't force it," he said, gently. "It will come as it does."

"But for just a moment...I have, haven't I? I mean with your leg," Belle said, feeling suddenly awkward.

"Yes," he remembered all too clearly. He had been injured, one of his enemies had laid a trap for him, in the guise of a meeting over a deal. Of course he had come out on top, but it had cost him, a lot. He had appeared in the Castle with the last of his strength, his cloak torn, a gash in his arm that bleed heavily, and his magic all but drained. Belle had been waiting for him. He was a day late and she was worried sick when he appeared in the entry way and almost fell at her feet. It took everything she had, and the last of his remaining magic to get him sorted. But it left him without enough to maintain the spell on his leg. He had sat in his chair in the Great Hall, the fire blazing in the fireplace and watched her take care of him, too worn to question or care, when she knelt at his feet and began to rub his leg, trying to take some of the stiffness that made the pain worse away. It was then that he started worrying about her, about what he was doing with her. She had stopped being just his little caretaker, and started being more. Then, as now, it scared him but there was nothing he could or would do about it. 

"Why this?" she asked. "Why is this what I remember?" He shrugged, no more answer than she had, though he wondered, had that little incident, that little kindness on her part meant as much to her as it had to him. Rather than analyze it to closely, he took a drink, and just held her close for a moment. 

"It'll come," he reassured her. The words might or might not be empty but they were what he had. Instead of responding, she reached for his glass, and he gave it to her, though he knew she was not really one for strong spirits. She took a tentative sip, smiling at him over the lip of the glass.

"Why is your leg giving you so much trouble today? Did you over do it?" she asked, returning his glass to him, and pulled away a little so she could look at him. Honestly he found it easier to think clearly when she wasn't so close, even while he couldn't seem to resist reaching for her. It had been so long since anyone touched him voluntarily, and he realized it had been the same for her, locked away. They were both starved for physical contact, despite his continually telling himself he didn't need it. He didn't, for the most part, but Belle was special. "Well," she asked, looking determined and stubborn, the Belle he knew so well, not the frightened girl who had cowered in the pantry. She was coming back.

"Sorry, I got distracted. What were you asking me?"

"I asked what you did to annoy your leg today?" she said, slipping away from him. 

"Nothing in particular," he said. "Somedays are just better, or worse."

"And sleeping in the chair all night didn't help, did it?"

"Its nothing, really, Belle, don't worry yourself about it."

"I will, especially when it is something as...as stupid as sleeping in a chair all night to keep watch over me. Richard, you can't do that, you can't hurt yourself for me." 

Damn, he thought. He had expected that she didn't notice, that she thought he had come back in the morning. But that wasn't Belle, she was perceptive. And she had called him what passed for his first name. "It was nothing. I fell asleep," he said, trying for innocence, though he was long past it. 

"Then why were you holding me hand every time I woke from a nightmare?" she asked softly knowing there would be no answer. That soft look he knew would have him kneeling at her feet if she would let him. Instead, she stood up quickly, and went into the other room, returning a moment later with a footstool. Before he could say a word, she had lifted his bad knee and propped it up in front of him. "Please, let me take care of you, just a little?" Belle asked. He never could deny her anything except himself, his heart. Actually he had given her that as well, he just could never admit it before, not to her anyway. Easier to pretend he had no heart. Instead, he just nodded a little, as Belle moved to sit close to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, usual stuff, still looking for a beta, comments appreciated, blah blah blah. On another note, I am traveling and I hope this is an actually coherent update as it was written in bits in Airports. Posting might be spotty.
> 
> Chapter Title is taken from the Title of a Travis song. Trust me, it makes sense.


	14. Inner Demons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little comfort, a little plotting.

They had sat in silence for some time, just enjoying each other's company. In the Dark Castle that had taken time, him learning to be comfortable enough with another's presence. He had been alone for a long time before she came, and it had taken time before he had been able to relax around her. Now, he realized how hard it had been without her, like a weight had been lifted off his chest. A weight the size of a full grown giant. Not that he had ever had a harsh dealing with a giant, they were easy enough to deal with as long as you weren't trying to steal their magic beans. He had traded with them a few times over the years, before they fell on the wrong side of young Prince James' greed and arrogance. He should have blasted the brat himself for that little trick. He had spent a fair bit of time gaining enough of their trust with little trades to get himself a magic bean, a trade that would have negated the need for the curse, a trade that would have allowed him to get to his son sooner, and without the sacrifices he had made. But that was neither here nor there, not anymore. 

Mr. Gold looked at Belle, sitting next to him, her feet drawn up under her, sitting close enough to him that he could easily reach out and touch her. She was watching the fire, deep in thought. "Penny for 'em?" he asked

"Hmmmm?" she responded distractedly.

"Penny for your thoughts," he said again, reaching out to take her hand. He wanted to take that small hand, and raise it to his lips but he resisted.

"Just thinking how comfortable I am here. Some of the things, they feel, familiar, even though I don't remember them at all. It's like this is where I have always belonged, the hospital was just a nightmare, this is real." He didn't know what to say to her. She still knew so little of this world, but it made his heart beat faster. Maybe, just maybe there was a happily ever after, even for an old monster. 

"I am glad. I want you to feel at home here. Would you like to go have a bath?" he asked, remembering how much she had enjoyed it yesterday.

"Oh, I've already had mine, earlier. I wanted to make sure there would be enough hot water for you, when you got home. Actually, a hot bath would probably do your leg some good," she said. How like his Belle, to think of him, to worry about there being enough hot water for his return. The thought of a hot bath was actually appealing except for the fear of relaxing too much and being unable to get himself out of the tub. Then what would he do, call for Belle? Never, he would never expose her to his unlovely form, pitiful and helpless in the harsh light of the bathroom. 

"There is no need," he told her. "I will have a shower later." He should have known better, really he should. He may know her better than she knew herself, but that didn't change the essentials of who she was.

"There is a need, you are in pain," she said to him, meeting his eyes. 

"I..." he started to say, but the look on her face, that familiar stubborn look, the one that told him she was more than willing to do battle with him to get what she needed, stopped him. It was not the first time he had seen her like that, far from it. She was as stubborn as he was, if not more so, but that she was willing to go toe to toe with him over his own comfort, that it meant so much to her, that took the fight out of him. "If it will make you happy," he said. "But if I am unable to get myself out..." he said, unable to stop himself from issuing a hint of a challenge, even one he knew he would never allow her to take up.

"Then I will just have to come and drag you out," she said with a laugh. 

Regina Mills sat in her immaculate office, a drink in one hand, trying to pretend she wasn't shaking. She had overplayed her hand, dangerously so. Pressing him like that, well, she had pushed before, sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. He was a capricious little imp, but deadly all the same. Until tonight she had generally assumed that he was on the side of the status quo, or at least not against the curse continuing indefinitely. Not that she had ever asked, really. She had made the deal with him, given him what he asked for, to the letter of the contract. 

It wasn't the first time he had defied her, not by a long shot. He had supported Emma Swan against her own Sidney for Sheriff, but that was before he got his memory back, wasn't it? Or had he never suffered from the amnesia that the rest of the town was subjected to by the curse. She didn't know, had never thought to ask. But it wasn't until after that she had started to notice something about him, something other than the cunning of a shrewd small town business man. That didn't matter though, what mattered was fixing her blunder. The last thing she wanted him to know was how desperate she was. Emma was definitely going to try to take her son away from her, she could feel it. Worse, she knew who the sheriff was, even if she didn't, or at least she suspected who she was. She had never really asked how Mr. Gold had acquired the boy, now she was wondering if it hadn't been a part of the plan all along. But there was certainly no way of knowing now. He would never have told her, and she had nothing really to bargain for. 

Stupid, she thought to herself. What had she been thinking, to even consider trying to seduce the old demon. Regina shuddered. It wasn't his looks so much, though he was definitely far from handsome, at least in her opinion. Nor was it the fact that he had been her mother's lover once, at least she had assumed as much before he had confirmed it just an hour before. It wasn't something she had thought much about, or ever wanted to. When she was his apprentice he had discouraged questions about her mother, about anything not related to magic. If she thought about him in those terms, it was to remember the one time she had tried to get her way, batted her eyes at the monster in that way that had always gotten her what she wanted from men. That was the point where he reminded her he wasn't a man in the normal sense of the word. He had told her all the different spells and potions that he could make with her eyes, after he had plucked them from her head. Regina had been humiliated, disgusted and more ashamed that she had ever remembered being before. Then he sent her off, with a hint that his tastes were far darker and less, well, human than she could ever grasp. 

After that, as she had learned more about both magic and men, she had decided that to make that one offer to Rumplestilskin, she would have to be far beyond desperate, and she was never going to be that desperate. Oh, they flirted sometimes, the way he did with everyone, suggestions, hints. That little twit had fallen in love with him, and he with her, so there must be some human inclinations there, or there was more to that girl than she thought. Regina leaned back in the chair and finished her drink. 

Maybe she should go check on the girl, her little ace in a very dark hole. She had meant to go today, after the call last night about the apparent mass break out, but when all the patients had been rounded up, and only one unaccounted for, that one an actual mental patient, a woman from this world who could see them all for who they really were, she hadn't been terribly concerned. Besides, she had been saving that one especially. Today was a rainy day, but to use her, it would have to be a hurricane. Once she did it, there was no turning back. Playing that piece meant getting exactly what she wanted, but at the cost of turning Rumplestilskin into her enemy forever, and Regina Mills had never cared for looking over her shoulder. She rose from her desk. She would figure out a way to smooth over the mess she made with him tomorrow. Tonight, she was going to go check on her prize, then she would consider what it was that she wanted, and what she had to offer Rumplestilskin in exchange.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short post today, just because it was a good place to break it. Hopefully there will be time for more tomorrow.


	15. Tangled Webs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Plans rise and fall as Regina tries to figure out how to cope with the changes that are coming. Meanwhile, Mr. Gold is having some changes of his own to cope with.

As he pulled himself out of the bath tub, Rumplestilskin had to admit, if only to himself, that Belle had been right. Of course Belle was frequently right, though he didn't like to tell her so. She was a bright girl, and her judgement had always been sound, except perhaps in her true love, and there, well, one couldn't chose the course of true love, regardless of how much they might wish it. Still, even with so much time separating them, he could feel the pull and thought she did as well, but that was not something to dwell on here, and now. Instead he began to pull on night clothes. The pain, while not gone, had certainly eased, and the leg had regained as much flexibility as it ever had, which, while not a lot, was better than it had been earlier. 

He surveyed his pajamas, once again marveling at the differences between the two worlds. When he was a child, practically an orphan and penniless, you slept in whatever you had, depending on the season, on a cold winter, everyone slept in as many clothes as they could, all huddled in one bed for warmth, while in the summer they slept in little or nothing as inclination and weather drove them. It wasn't until he returned from the war, injured and disgraced that he had begun to regularly sleep in his shirt, his wife's scorn at his scared body always near the surface. Once he had become the Dark One, with more gold that he could spend in the life time, and no real need for it with his power, had he gone back to sleeping however he was most comfortable. It wasn't as if he slept much anyway, and when he was finished with a particularly tricky potion, or a difficult deal, sometimes he would simply strip and fall into his bed. That had lasted until Belle had come along. There was a night, dark and moonless when something tried to breach the security of the castle and he had run out onto the gallery to see what was happening. Belle, beautiful and brave as always, had stuck her head out of her room to inquire, and suddenly, even though the hall was dark, he had been struck by his own carelessness, and the realization that he wouldn't wish the sight of him on anyone, much less an innocent girl. Nothing but silk night shirts after that, the fashion of most of the nobility at the time, and always careful. He had not lost his love of silk since. Rumplestilskin had few enough pleasures with the only two people he cared about gone. In this world, there were silk pajamas, almost a parody of everyday dress, but this world would probably explode at the idea of night shirts, strange people that they were, so caught up in who should wear what. So, he took a moment, pulling the silk pajamas, the same red ones that Belle had commented on in her sleep last night. They were exactly the same colour as the shirt she was thinking of, he knew, he had acquired them for just that reason. Anything, any little thing to make her comfortable. 

There was a hesitant knock on the door, and he quickly finished buttoning his shirt. "I am fine, Belle, not such an old man as I..." he started a little gruffly as he pulled open the door. The pink flush on her face halted his tongue. 

"I'm sorry," she said miserably and looked at the room behind him. It took only a second to realize he'd got it wrong. It was an old house, by the standards of this world. They had not thought to put in another bathroom, and he'd never had the need. Quickly he stepped out the door, and allowed her to take her turn. Sharing, it had been so long since he had lived with anyone. In fact, she was the last person he had subjected to his companionship. It could take some getting used to, still, he wouldn't go back if he could, he thought as he made his way down the hall, his clothes folded over his arm. It was only when he started to hang his suit up, that he remembered the necklace that he had tucked in the pocket for Belle.

Regina couldn't decide whether she was more livid or terrified. Her visit to the hospital had been the opposite of the calming excursion she had expected. She had looked into the room, ready to gloat a little over her prize, but when the girl turned her face towards the door, it wasn't her, it wasn't Rumplestilskin's little maid, Belle. She had screamed, railed, and terrified the nurses and orderlies, screaming at their incompetence, but there was nothing that could be done. The woman in the cell was the missing mental patient, incorrectly tagged and drugged in the quiet cell that had once belonged to her prize chess piece. It wasn't a difficult mistake for anyone to make, actually, if she had been inclined to be reasonable, but she wasn't. They were of a height, the same dark hair that had grown frizzy in confinement, but her eyes weren't blue, and her voice, when she spoke up lacked the lilt of the other. 

Then she started interrogating the staff, how did the patients get out, and where were they found. Turned out that at least one of the orderlies and the charge nurse had been drugged. The patients had been found mostly inside the hospital, wondering around, or sitting quietly in different waiting rooms. A few had been found on the grounds. The patient who had been thought to be missing was tracked to the edge of the woods, which meant that Rumplestilskin's little paramour, or whatever she was should be lost in the forest. With any luck, hypothermia or wild animals would find her. She had no memory, after all. 

But a chill filled Regina. What if she had been found? Was she even now being hidden in that pink pile she had stuck Gold with? He had been reluctant to let her into the house, but then he had always been reluctant to let her into his house the few times she had needed to go there. It wasn't like she could enlist the sheriff in this, have her searched for properly. Belle had no official existence here, no papers, no records, no trail. It was part of Regina's revenge, no one knew she was there, except the staff, and they had only the vaguest ideas about who or what she was, like most of her pet projects, as long as no one looked too closely. But Emma Swan would, that was for certain, and with no medical records, no doctor's orders, no actual existence, even her pet judge would be forced to level a charge of illegal incarceration at her, or which ever of her flunkies she could get to take it for her. Then there was Rumplestilskin, were he to get wind of it, he would do...something, she wasn't completely sure what, but she was fairly certain she didn't want to know. Not that I am afraid of that imp, she told herself. Just a health caution. He hasn't any magic here, or none that he has shown, but he is still the Dark One, and playing with him requires careful planning. He is cunning, devious and has had at least a century or more to hone his skills. Fortunately, Regina thought, she had never doubted her own abilities in those areas. She might not have his experience, but that didn't have to be a disadvantage. But for now, she needed to find out just where Belle had gotten to, and more importantly, did Rumplestilskin have her? She was almost certain he didn't, but what she needed was someone she could trust, someone who would do exactly what they were told. If he didn't have her, Regina needed to make sure he didn't get her or even find out about her. She picked up the phone. "Sidney, I have a little job for you. No, nothing to do with the Sheriff, not this time. I have a more...important task for you. Bring lock picks."

Mr. Gold lay back in the large bed in his room and wished that sleep would come, though he was certain it would not. He had briefly considered another drink, but didn't feel like going back down the stairs. Besides, he had never been particularly a drinking man. His father had been a drinker, and a coward, after he had abandoned young Rumplestilskin, he had no desire to see him again, or to be anything like him. But those were not the thoughts for a night like tonight.

Belle had forbade him, in the strongest terms, from sleeping in the chair at her bedside tonight. It had almost been amusing, and he knew a fair few people who would have given anything to have the power to speak to him the way she did. Or at rather to speak to him in that way and survive. Belle had never been one for doing the usual thing, she had certainly spoken her mind to him, almost from the beginning. It was one of the things that drew him to her. 

Of course, he had never expected her to take his offer, or rather he expected her father to turn him down, followed by some kind of counter offer, but Maurice, while a capable ruler, was not a particularly imaginative man. Belle must have gotten those traits from her mother, always assuming that she really was Maurice's, he didn't see it himself, but who was he to question the parentage of any child who was claimed. But Belle had made the decision, and made it for herself. I might have started falling in love with her then, he thought. Mr. Gold listened very carefully. Regardless of what she said, if he thought she was having a nightmare, he would not leave her to suffer it alone. 

"You can't spend your nights guarding me from nightmares," she said gently to him. "You shouldn't, your leg."

"My leg be damned," he told her. "It's nothing."

"It is not. I won't have you suffer pain for me, Richard," she said. He had no answer for that, nothing he could say, too busy trying to choke back the knot of emotion that had swollen his throat. 

"There must be something..."

"You said we were...close, unless you want to share my bed with me..." she said.

"It wouldn't be proper," he said very carefully after a moment, but he was almost certain he had not been able to hid his feelings well enough. Still she had not asked. Besides, Belle had not meant what she said, he knew that, she was only inviting him to sleep beside her, and gods he wished he had relented. It would be torture, but would it be any less torture than laying awake waiting for her nightmares to start? Instead, he had waited until she was settled into her bed before wishing her a good night, reminding her that he was across the hall, and slowly leaving her to her rest. At her request he had left the door open. She still wasn't completely comfortable in a closed room, and even less in a closed room alone. He left his own door open as well. If Belle needed him, he would be there, whether she wanted him or not. 

It was past midnight when he heard her cry out in her sleep. He was on his feet without a thought and in her room, on the edge of her bed, stroking her back, soothing her out of her nightmare. He had hoped that she wouldn't wake, that he could just ease her, and then sneak away, but it wasn't to be. "Please stay," she asked, her voice childlike and frightened. He nodded, and started to rise, to pull the chair, but she grabbed his arm and wouldn't let go. With a moment of thought, he lay himself carefully on top of the quilt next to her, and then because he could do nothing else, he pulled her into his arms. A cold shower isn't going to be nearly enough, he thought as he drifted off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So with luck (and me getting a little time to write) there should be a lot more plot, with a visit to the department of backstory tomorrow. Still without a net, Betas please apply, comments and constructive remarks welcome.


	16. New Pieces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little fluff, a little plot. Mr. Gold wakes up in an awkward situation with Belle and gets part of an answer.

It was late when Gold awoke in the morning. He knew that, somehow just as he knew he was not in his own bed, a disorienting experience, which he had not had in years. He opened his eyes, trying to drag his still sleep fogged brain into wakefulness. Then he knew, knew why he had the best night's sleep he had since...actually he couldn't remember. It came back to him, Belle's nightmare, her refusal to allow him to sit next to her, her need and his acquiescence. He could never refuse her. 

He'd been on top of the quilt, at least a nod at propriety and a reminder that he needed to keep his distance. Belle, though, his lovely girl, had not been so kind in her sleep, or perhaps she had. She was wrapped in the coverings, and had preceded to pull them around and drape herself over him like a blanket. It was beautiful and painful he knew without a doubt he would do anything to stay here as long as he could. Looking down, her beautiful sleep tousled head was resting on his shoulder, her sweet face relaxed in a way he had not seen in this world, or not for more than a few fleeting seconds. She looked genuinely happy, and if he focused on that, his own discomfort, his own desires could be ignored. Especially when they were so inappropriate. Belle could, should never be his. If he were stronger, he would send her away as soon as she was safe, watch her find a life with a deserving young man, not an old and broken monster. But he wasn't that man. Having found her again, he knew he could not let her go.

She stirred softly in her sleep, the blankets and her body sliding up his, bringing his thoughts down to earth with a start. He held himself completely still, willing his body to obey and focus on anything but the beautiful girl wrapped in a thin nightdress and a bed quilt who was, completely innocently, wrapped around him.

Instead he spent his time studying her face, hoping it would take his mind off of other things. How often in his dreams had he seen her just this way, thought about how he would have done things different. Gold knew that he should send her away, after all why should she saddle herself with a broken old man who had nothing to offer her. Nothing but true love. That was the rub right there. What they had was the real thing, true love, the same as Snow and Charming, or Ella and Thomas. Denying true love never turned out well. All magic had a price, but in the case of true love, denying it did as well. He should have known Belle lived, he should have, because his love never faded, never became a past tense easing of pain, but remained dagger sharp all these years. That should have been enough for him, but he just assumed it was the dark side of his personality, the part that refused to simply lay down. Archie would probably call it obsessive, but then that was Archie's nature. Didn't make the cricket wrong, just annoying. 

Belle shifted slowly, and he jerked, startled. She was so comfortable, and she looked so content, he was loath to wake her. Unfortunately there was the downside of a world without magic, and the demands of a mortal form, and at least two of those were making his current position, while comfortable, also a living nightmare. But the last thing he wanted to do was wake her any sooner than necessary. After all, she hadn't got a lot of peaceful sleep, from what she said, certainly she had not the night before. There was also the problem, what if she didn't remember asking him to join her, practically dragging him into the bed to protect her from the nightmares. Overall, he decided it would be best if he arose before she woke, but in his current position, that was going to be difficult at best. 

As he was contemplating exactly how to extract himself, her blue eyes opened, and she smiled at him. "R...Richard," she said slowly, yawning. He wasn't completely sure if she had hesitated, almost as if another name was trying to come out, but no, that would just be wishful thinking. Instead he was captivated by the smile on her face and the look in her eyes. Not embarrassed, welcoming, as if she was pleased to wake next to him. Then she blushed just a little and extracted all her limbs from where she was draped over him. "Sorry, I hope I didn't disturb your sleep, I just..." she paused. 

"I slept perfectly well, better than I have in some time," he answered her completely honestly.

"Better than the chair then," she said with something that might have been a smirk. "I did as well. I felt...safe. Though I never intended to use you as a pillow," Belle said with a slight blush. 

It took a great deal of effort to resist the first five things that came to his mind. You may use me in any way you like, he thought, for whatever you like. He bit his tongue almost hard enough to bleed, holding back. Too easy to flirt with her, to pretend that all was as it had been with her here. "I didn't mind," Gold said finally. It was as neutral as he could be and still manage to get the words out. "As I said, I slept very well. I usually don't."

"Thank you, its hard. I mean I feel free or at least freer than I remember being, but there are nightmares, and I...you just feel so familiar. Maybe its because we were..." she paused. She wasn't fishing, not exactly, but he knew she wanted answers, answers he wasn't ready to give her, not until he knew it wouldn't hurt her.

"Belle, regardless of what we were or were not, I don't want you to feel any..." Gold paused, unsure what exactly to say. It wasn't like him, he was a man of words, well, perhaps man was stretching it a bit, but he was always so careful about his deals. 

"You don't want me to feel what? Obligated?" she asked, a little agitated.

"Belle, no, I simply do not want you making decisions based on the past, especially when you can't remember it. I don't want you to feel any pressure especially if..."

"I don't, though you have been very kind to me. But you are also the only thing that feels familiar, the only thing in this world that I feel like I have a connection to, and that means something." He sighed. He didn't want to push her away, but he didn't want her to feel in anyway pressured. No matter how much he wanted her, wanted to share true love's kiss with her finally, she had to want it as well, and want it for herself.

"Belle, regardless of what we had before, I don't want you to make any decision too soon."

"Richard, I make my own choices, no one decides my fate but me." Hearing those words from her again, he felt his desire leap, but quickly thrust it down below. He should have known better, she would make her own way. 

"I know you do, love," he said quietly. "You always have, but for now, as comfortable as I am, I must go to the shop today. I have a feeling Regina will want a rematch." He felt Belle shudder and he hugged her tightly, before releasing her, afraid to get too close.

"Shall I make you breakfast?" She asked, letting go of him, and drawing back, slowly. He rose and limped carefully into his own room praying that she didn't notice the evidence of his inability to control himself. 

By the time he had calmed, dressed and prepared for the day, he could hear and smell Belle in the kitchen. She was singing quietly under her breath as she moved around the stove and she looked genuinely happy flitting around his kitchen as if it was her own, and he was certainly more than willing to turn it over to her. While her culinary skills were not perfect, they were certainly much better than his own. Even better, when he moved toward the door, she heard him and turned at the sound of his footsteps, and smiled. Her smile lit the entire room, indeed, he could feel the warmth flood him once again.

"Belle," he said, as he limped into the room. "This smells wonderful." 

"I hope you like it, I wanted to do something special for you, you have done so much for me. I found a cookbook on the shelf," she said. Inwardly he groaned just a little, though he acknowledged that the things she got from cookbooks had generally worked better for him. But he smiled. Gold swore he would eat it and smile even if it poisoned him. "Sit, please," Belle asked, with a smile. 

He sat down at the table, and Belle brought over the tea pot, setting it down next to him, along with two mugs, not the delicate china cups they had used before. Perhaps she thought they needed a little extra this morning. Gold picked up the pot and poured out, carefully preparing the two mugs. Belle was still doing something at the stove, and it smelled good, so he thought he was probably safe at least. 

"You didn't have all the ingredients, so I had to guess on a thing or two," she said. He continued to smile though he felt a slight concern creeping back in. But the plate was in front of him, and it looked good. Some kind of omelet, he thought. "Go on," she said, as she got her own plate and set down. 

Carefully, with a smile plastered on his face, he cut into it. So far, so good, it looked edible, smelled actually delicious. One bite, how bad could it be. He was legitimately surprised at how good it was. "It's lovely, dear," he said, before getting back to it. She sat down at the table and began to eat herself.

"I didn't have the right herbs, but I made due. There are a lot of things not in your kitchen, but you said that you didn't cook much. Still, I thought I would take some time today and go through the cookbooks, maybe make us some dinner?"

"Belle, you don't have to do this, really you don't," he said, though he had a hard time putting too much energy behind it. He certainly wasn't going to cook, he had more chance of poisoning them than she ever had. "Really, you don't have to do anything you don't..."

"You are taking care of me, let me take care of you, just a little?" she asked, with that sweet smile of hers, that one that always made it difficult for him to say no, to anything. 

"If it pleases you, then certainly I won't stop you, as if I could." There was a little of the pleasant banter in that, though he resisted flirting with her. 

"Are you saying that I am stubborn?" she asked, curious as ever, especially when every word had be to gauged for its content, for what he couldn't say.

"I would say strong willed."

"I think I like that better, sounds like I know my own mind."

"Oh, that you do. Always have," he said unable to resist a tender smile. But it was too easy this, to sit in the kitchen and get caught up in her. A glance at the kitchen clock told him he was lingering too long if he wished to get to the store and open on time, especially if he was walking, with the hope of catching a certain cricket. "I should be on my way, though. Wouldn't do to be late to work," he said as he rose and took his plate to the sink.

"I'll wash up, don't worry about that," Belle said, stopping him before he did more than put the plate in the sink. "Wouldn't want you to get in trouble with your boss."

"About that you are right, he is a real monster," he teased back. But she didn't answer. Something in her eyes was suddenly odd. "Belle?"

"Nothing," she said after a moment. "Just one of those feelings. And you are not a monster," she said as she offered him a hug before he slipped on his coat and stepped out the door, carefully locking it behind him. It was only when he reached into the pocket for his gloves that he remembered the box. Ah well, he could give it to her when he came home. Perhaps he would come back for lunch today. He didn't like her being too much alone. 

Gold had almost reached his shop and was just wondering if he was going to have to readjust his plans when he was hailed by exactly the man he was looking for.

"Hey Mr. Gold. How are you this morning?" Archie came up with Pongo. The dalmatian came up to sniff and get a scratch from the pawnbroker. Unlike a lot of people in town, the dog didn't have anything against him. 

"Lovely, Dr. Hopper, and you?" he asked. If he was more pleasant than usual, well Archie wasn't one to question. It was a cold morning, but bright. The sun was shining despite the cold, the air was crisp, just the sort of pleasant morning that winters in Maine sometimes produced.

"I...I am doing well," he said, a little startled. Mr. Gold was usually one for just a hello and a walk on unless he had business. "Did you... want to talk at all? I mean the rent isn't due or anything..."

"Why does everyone see me and immediately wonder about the status of their rent?" he asked, scratching Pongo.

"I suppose it makes us all feel guilty, like we might have forgotten?" the young doctor replied, clearly thinking about it. "So was there something... did you want to..." Archie realized he was dithering and stopped. He knew Mr. Gold, wasn't particularly afraid of him, but still, talking to him like everyone else wasn't something that normally happened. 

"I had a question, actually," Gold said, calmly. 

"Oh, well, ok," Archie said. It wasn't what he was expecting. "I can't comment on any of my patients, you understand?"

"No, not at all Dr. Hopper, I would never ask you to reveal confidential information. It would be unethical. Just a few general questions." Gold indicated that they should keep walking. "I wanted to ask you about amnesia."

"Are you having memory problems, Mr. Gold?" Archie asked, concerned.

"No, not at all," he said. "In fact, I would venture to say that my memory is in better shape than it ever has been. I am concerned about...someone else," he said delicately. Let Archie guess, decide it was a client for whom he was asking. 

"Well what is it you want to know? Memory is a difficult thing. There are different types of amnesia, everything from complete memory loss, which is a rare thing, usually involves some kind of head trauma. Usually things like abilities, reading, writing, things the person has learned in school remain, but personal details are forgotten."

"Is there a way to make the memory return?" he asked. "Familiar things, talking, telling stories?"

"Familiar things could help trigger memories, but you need to be careful. Answering direct questions should be ok, but it needs to be done carefully. The person shouldn't be pushed to remember. Is this someone that could come to see me? I mean, could I..."

"I don't think that will be possible. The person involved does not wish to be... identified." Already he was thinking though, would it be possible, should he ask Dr. Hopper to come over to see her, could he be trusted. "Perhaps, if there is some reading that might be helpful?" he asked. One step at a time. Besides, his Belle loved to read.

"Perhaps, let me take a look and see if I can find something for the laymen. But think about asking the person to come in, or perhaps I could see them?"

"I will see what can be arranged," he said. "I would appreciate any information that you have, please drop it by my shop later?" The interview was clearly over. Archie took Pongo and headed off towards his office, while Gold stepped around to the back door of the shop. He was almost whistling. One thing off his list of things to do and before he had even started his work day. With luck the rest of the day would go as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so I hoped to have more of this written, but things go as they go. Hopefully I will have some more later, but will be out of town for the NY Sheep and Wool festival this weekend so I won't guarantee anything.


	17. Plot and Counterplot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rumplestilskin plots new changes to force the breaking of the curse, while Regina sets a few plans of her own in motion.

Once he had opened the door, turned on the lights, and did all the usual opening tasks which he could have easily completed asleep, he flipped the sign and started considering how he was going to accomplish all the other things that he needed to do while attached to his shop for the day. And make it home for lunch. Belle had not actually requested it, but when he had mentioned that it was a possibility she had been clearly interested in the idea. He wasn't actually sure what she was going to do with her day, though knowing Belle she would keep herself busy. He had got her on his computer and told her she could get on with the rest of her shopping, as she needed more clothes, even offered her one of his credit cards, but she had looked away and told him she would prefer they do it together. She was blushing at the time, and while he couldn't refuse her, he felt a bit overwhelmed by the offer, and the trust. That among other things sent him hurrying to the shop, promising to try to be home at lunch time. But he also had to be around for Regina. She would turn up soon enough. He had put her off her stride but that never lasted long. 

Meanwhile, he had some other pieces to play, ones that he was certain that Regina would dislike. In fact, he was counting on it. Mr. Gold made two phone calls, and then set down at the small laptop computer in the back of his shop. He might not be keen on the things, but he knew how to use them. 

Ten o'clock on a weekday Friday morning and Sydney Glass was lurking in his car, parked down the side street where he had a full view of Mr. Gold's house, and wishing he were anywhere else. What Regina was thinking, he didn't have the slightest, but he knew he was terrified. He had seen Gold depart almost a half an hour before, leaving to open his shop as Sydney drove to his house. He wished he had stayed in town long enough to make sure the man was there. Though Gold kept a fairly regular routine, he had been known to break it. The newspaper man wished devoutly that he was anywhere else right now. But he never had been able to say no to Regina, even when it wasn't dangerous to do so, and this was not one of those times. 

He had been devoted to the Mayor of Stonybrook for as long as he could remember, though the way was lost. She used him, strung him along, and all the while she had been sharing her bed with the Sheriff, until his untimely death. He had liked the Sheriff, really he had, but he admitted to just a little bit of joy at his passing, that perhaps Regina would see him, consider...But no, Sydney knew he didn't deserve her, that he was better off admiring her from a distance. She would never consider him worthy, certainly he didn't consider himself worthy. So, yet again he was out to do her bidding, a dangerous little task, that could easily end in jail or worse for him. Mr. Gold wasn't known for his kind and generous nature, though as far as he knew, with the exception of his altercation with Moe French, he had never actually physically hurt anyone. Why, when he could turn them out of their home, fired or any one of another nasty little tricks he had up his sleeves. 

After ten thirty. Time for Mr. Gold to have settled in, opened the pawn shop for business and be safely out of his way. Sydney checked his lock pick set, something he wasn't completely sure where he learned, maybe at journalism school? But it was a useful talent, regardless. He didn't get out immediately. Perhaps just a few more minutes. 

It hadn't taken too much, a few phone calls, a little poking around on the internet, and he had exactly what he needed. Abigail...well, Katherine would soon find herself in close contact with her own true love, yet another stretch of the curse, if Regina tried to force another set of lovers apart. The backlash, should she continued to try to stretch the curse could be a bit rough. Rumplestilskin knew he would have to do what was necessary though, to protect Belle. He supposed he would have to protect the rest as well. She wouldn't thank him, when she got her memory back, if he let the whole town burn. 

He wondered how much longer it would be before Regina came to see him. After all, she still needed to tell him what she wanted. She seemed to have formed a bond with Katherine for some reason, but like most things with Regina it wasn't straight forward. After all they had never been friends back in the old world, only knew each other the same way that all noble women did, parties, gatherings but they had not been enemies either. A true friend would not have tried to put her with the man that had been nothing but an arrangement before. Of course with James, always the honorable knight. The second James that is. The first one had been something else altogether. He wondered what would have happened with the original. Probably not what had ended up happening, he'd be bound. The original James had the morals of an alley cat, and less honor. 

If he'd lived much longer, Rumpletilskin was fairly should he would have had to do him in himself. It took very little to remember all the desperate calls, women and girls, servant and noble and poor farmer's daughter because of that young man. The first one, a maid he had seduced in the house of a friend of his fathers had wanted nothing for herself, he remembered her clearly. She had heard that he took children, and all she wanted from the trade was a good life for it. She'd been turned out of her place, disowned by her parents, and he was fairly certain planned to end her life. He remembered telling her that a deal always involved something for both parties. He'd actually had to coax her through the wording of her trading her unborn baby for a new life in another village, and a husband. It had been a rather neat piece of work actually, now that he thought about it. 

Of course the first time could have been an accident, and he chalked it up to a cheap or malfunctioning contraceptive potion and went back to his usual dealings. By the sixth one, he knew that the boy just didn't care and had gone to have a talk to King George. Of course George had never been anything but a cold bastard, but he had a few scruples. He had loved his wife, despite his own less that loyal tendencies, and he had always been extremely careful about contraceptive potions. His wife had been a lovely woman, Rumplestilskin had met her a couple of times, once when she asked for a potion to help her give her husband a child, and the second to give her the child he had acquired. He'd never explained why he couldn't give her the potion, but she had never asked, nor had George, though it would have saved him a bit of coin. George could never have got any woman a child, not the natural way at any rate. That was a piece of knowledge that he had saved for himself, for a rainy day. If the prosecutor ever became a problem, he might actually still have a use for it. Men were funny creatures. 

But the original James, for all that they were brothers and twins, they were nothing at all alike. He had pondered the differences at length, wondering what would have happened if he had taken the other. Would he have ended up the same, or would he have not been ruthless enough for his father, and his brother too restless for the farm. Regardless, he had found where Fredrick was, tucked away working as a mechanic for an auto shop just at the edge of town. A plan was forming and he thought it was rather a good one, as he rubbed his hands together gleefully. Today was turning out rather well.

Belle had finished the breakfast dishes, cleaned up the kitchen and was deciding what she was going to do with the rest of the day. Mr. Gold, Richard, had offered to let her shop online for clothes, as her wardrobe was still rather sparse but she had been really uncomfortable spending his money, especially when he wasn't there. Besides, she would rather have him with her, to help her. The thought made her blush, but then she had practically dragged him into bed with her last night. It hadn't been romantic, but practical, still she couldn't help remembering how completely safe and comfortable she had felt curled up in his arms, and the guilt she had felt about his pain. Besides, there was something, though she was not ready to put a name to it, she was drawn to him, in a way she didn't even want to explain to herself, not now. Instead she started making an inventory of rooms she could clear and dust, ones with doors open and no way to be seen from the inside. Upstairs, she put away the products that Ruby had bought for her, blushing just a little as she hung her toothbrush next to his in the rack on the inside of the medicine cabinet door, putting her shampoo on the shelf next to his in the shower. The other things she hid behind the bog rolls, still in their plain paper bag. While she was certain that he knew about such things, who didn't, still it was a bit embarrassing. 

When she had finished with that, she went to her room. Belle made the bed, and made sure that all her new things were put away. There had been nothing in the drawers, so her new things fit with no problem. She still had no shoes but the fuzzy slippers that Ruby had brought, but they would do. Reluctantly she took off the thick socks of Richard's that she had been wearing. She couldn't say why she felt so comfortable in the little bits of his clothing, the robe, the socks, but she did. As she was finishing clearing everything away, she found where she had thrown the knickers and bra from the hospital. Those would go into the fire later, she told herself, but privately, not when he was home. Instead she gathered them up and stuck them in the large paper bag that she had left from Ruby, and tucked them under her arm for later. 

Belle was just trying to decide if it would be alright to straighten up his room, maybe make up the bed, when she heard it. There was someone at the door, again. This time though it wasn't the insistent ring, as if whoever was at the door was trying to storm the gates. After the ring came a quiet knock, and a voice calling out. "Mr. Gold, are you home?" It was a man's voice. She stood in the hall at the top of the stairs, listening carefully. After a moment, there was another ring. She wasn't sure what to do exactly, so she stood still, crouched at the top of the stairs listening quietly for every sound. After a few minutes, she thought she heard the person go away. Carefully she made her way down the stairs, avoiding being near enough to the stained glass panel in the door that her shape could give away her presence. She made her way to the kitchen. He had left her his number on a piece of paper by the phone, it might be silly but someone was looking for him, and at a time when he had told her he was always at work at the shop. It felt wrong. 

Belle had just picked up the piece of paper when she heard a wrapping on the door again, this time the door near her, in the kitchen. Immediately she flattened herself against the cabinets, and tried to peer through the narrow gap in the curtains, but she could see nothing but a dark shape moving, and wasn't willing to get closer. Then she heard the man turn the door handle, trying to open it. With the slip of paper in her hand, she fled. She was trying to put together a plan as she rushed to the front of the house. She couldn't go out the front door, nor could she hide in the pantry like last night. Creeping slowly back through the dining room, she heard more noises. The curtains at the back window were top and bottom, and as she watched, she saw the top of the man's head appear at the window just above them. That decided her. He wasn't going away, he was trying to see something, or someone. She fled up the stairs, the phone number clutched in her hand. 

It was Mr. Gold's room she made for. She knew he had a phone in his room, she had caught a glimpse of it yesterday. Without a further thought, she ran into the room, picked it up and started dialing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay but I spent the weekend at a Sheep and Wool festival reveling in one of my other passions. With luck there will be more tomorrow, but if you see it bouncing up, with nothing new, its because I am also going to be updating some edits. I am still Beta less, and that means I usually don't catch the mistakes til after I post. The usual disclaimers and details apply, looking for a beta, positive comments, blah, blah, blah.


	18. Breaking and Entering

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a little bit of dancing around, Regina plots and Rumplestilskin counter plots.

The phone in his pocket rang just as Gold was putting away some small trinkets that he had been holding on for a special occasion. Somewhere in that tray was the necklace that Fredrick had given Abigail and he was pretty certain it might be needed soon, much as David and Mary Margaret would be soon needing his mother's ring, which he had already cleaned and put in the case. He pulled the phone from his pocket looking curiously at the screen as he lifted it to his ear. "Belle?" he said, immediately concerned. After all, no one else would be calling from his phone during the day. 

"Richard, there is someone...A man I think, he was knocking on the front door, then he came around the back. He even tried the handle, and was trying to peer into the windows."

"Calm yourself, love, please," he said gently, but his mind was whirling a million miles a minute. 

"Maybe I am overreacting?" she questioned. Perhaps he would tell her that it was nothing to worry about, and they could both laugh about it. 

"No, I don't want to take the chance," he responded keeping his voice level, planning at lightning speed. His first inclination was to rush home and deal with the intruder in a personal and violent way, unfortunately that would bring all kinds of questions like how he knew someone was breaking in, when he was in his shop. Then there was Regina, who had probably planned the whole thing. So instead he reigned himself in, and forged a different plan. "Hang up the phone and dial 911. Tell the sheriff that you are a neighbour and you saw someone looking suspicious lurking around my house. I had a break in not long ago, so she will be anxious to attend it. Then go and hide yourself. Where are you?"

"In your bedroom, I came upstairs when I saw him peering in the window." she sounded frightened and a bit breathless.

"Alright, love, you are doing fine. Call the Sheriff and find yourself a safe place to hide. I'll be home as soon as I can be," Gold said. It was taking work to keep calm but he was fairly certain that Miss Swan would stop at the shop on her way to his house, or call him after the report, if only to keep an eye on him while she arrested the housebreaker. He wondered idly which one of Regina's pets had got the assignment and the balls to try to break into his place and what he would do when they were caught, for he was certain Regina was behind it as she had been the last time. He remained calm long enough to ring off with Belle and clutched the counter almost hard enough to splinter. Rumplestilskin was not usually the kind to allow someone else to attend to his dirty work. Releasing his hold, he started to limp toward the front when the door opened.

"Ah, Regina, funny I was just expecting you," he said with what might be a pleasant smile on anyone else.

"Mr. Gold," she said, maintaining the fiction while she looked around the shop to make certain they were alone. "I think that we had a bit of a misunderstanding last night." 

Back to her usual self then, he thought, and wondered exactly how much he would push her today, how easily he should give in. "So you weren't trying to...seduce me," he said, discarding several of the things that he wanted to say as too harsh, at least for now. "In exchange for my help?" He had slipped back behind the counter while she stood, face frozen. She wasn't expecting a direct challenge like that. Good. 

"I think you misunderstood me," she said finally, she was still trying to be pleasant though he could see her teeth clenching hard. "I was merely suggesting that there are many things I have to offer you. That is not one of them."

"Good," he said. "I am glad we understand each other again. Now, your majesty, I believe that I asked you a..." Gold stopped as the door to his shop was thrown open sharply and both of them turned towards it.

"Mr. Gold," David Nolan stood in the door of the shop. "Hi Regina," he said distractedly as he realized she was there as well. "Emma, Sheriff Swan, she just got a call, someone lurking around your house. She's on her way now, but she asked me to tell you."

"And just what are you doing, angling for a job at the Sheriff's department? Sorry, it's not in the budget," Regina said, her voice saccharine sweet.

"I just stopped by to give her the alarm codes for the animal shelter. We update them periodically, and always inform the sheriff in case they need to get in late at night for a problem, just like most of the businesses. I was just getting ready to leave when she got the call, and volunteered to bring the message," David Nolan was still just as much an annoyingly kind gentleman in this world as the old, but at the moment it didn't annoy him, in fact, it gave him an advantage. 

"Thank you for telling me, David," Gold said. "I don't suppose I could impose on you further, and ask you to take me to my house, I'm afraid I walked today and the time..." he said, limping carefully out from behind the counter, perhaps playing his leg a bit more than usual. He wasn't at all worried about leaving Regina alone in his shop, after all, she wouldn't touch most of the things here, not knowing which were and weren't necessarily dangerous to the curse, and there was no sign of Belle to be found. "The last time there was a break in, they made a mess of the place. I don't know what is happening in this town," he said mildly.

"Sure, its not a big thing, on my way anyway," he said. "Whenever you're ready, best get your coat, temperature is dropping." 

"Thank you, Madame Mayor, I am sure we can continue..." he said over his shoulder as he went through the curtain to get his coat.

"Oh, we can continue it later," she said trying for kindly. "Let me help, I'll lock up for you, you go on."

"Thank you," Gold said with a slight grin. "Just let me turn the sign. The back door probably needs locked as well." With that he followed David out into the street. Not only was he getting a chance to escape the discussion with Regina, it gave her ample time to search the shop without the bother of having to break and enter. There was nothing for her to find, and she looked like nothing more than a helpful civil servant. Meanwhile, he would get a chance to check on Belle. It had taken everything in him not to run to her side, and now he had a perfectly good excuse, nothing that would look the least bit strange. That was probably the plan. If Belle had called and he had rushed out of the shop, she would know that the girl was at his home, if he hadn't, she was probably at the shop. Someone breaks into his house while Regina distracted him with talk of misunderstandings and attempts to get him to help her out of her current mess. But that was for later. For now, he eased himself into David's truck, not exactly easy or graceful with his leg, but then that was why he preferred his own Cadillac, it was just the right height. Once he was in the truck, which was neither particularly clean nor particularly dirty, but contained odds and ends from the shelter, an old leash, a few chew toys. He wondered briefly if Belle would like a pet, well, other than him of course, he thought a little wryly. Rumplestilskin had a dog when he was human, actually he had several, sheep dogs to help with the sheep, and keep the place safe. 

"You okay, Mr. Gold?" David asked him, breaking him out of his thoughts. 

"Fine, just concerned. I lost a few very beautiful and very valuable pieces the last time there was a house breaker, not to mention the mess."

"Yeah, but that was Moe French, surely he wouldn't do it again, not with you dropping the charges?"

"Mr. French and I have settled our difficulties. It turned out it was poor communication and bad information on both sides. I have no idea exactly who broke in this time. I just hope they didn't break the front door again. I'm not sure it can be repaired this time," and with that, he drifted into silence. The distance between the shop and the house was only ten or fifteen minute on foot, but only about five in the truck, without traffic signals that was. It was the advantage of the small size of Storybrooke. Moments later they pulled up in front of the pink arts and crafts mansion, behind the one and only Storybrooke sheriffs department official police car. Considering the crime rate, he was surprised that Emma Swan had bothered with it, rather than just drive her Volkswagen. "You needn't remain, David," he said, as he eased himself out of the truck. "You have already been a great help."

"Are you sure? Might need a ride back to the shop, I could..."

"There is no need, really," he said at his most urban, that charm that people tended to forget about him. "I am certain that Sheriff Swan can give me a lift back, or perhaps I will walk. You were right about the temperature, but it is a sunny day, and I have a feeling it will be the last we see for a bit." David Nolan shrugged, agreed about the weather, and then said his goodbyes and headed off.


	19. Hide and Seek

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What did Regina ask Sidney to do? And what is Gold going to do about it?

Mr. Gold made his way up to the front door. It was intact and locked, so he slipped his keys out, and opened it. He resisted the impulse to go straight up the stairs to find Belle where she was hiding, and make sure she was safe. He also, being forewarned, had not drawn his pistol, even though it was in his coat pocket. Regina might decide she needed it for something so he had slipped it in on his way out. Instead he strode purposefully through the house toward the kitchen. 

"Mr. Gold?" he heard Emma call out from behind the door.

"Yes," he called before he opened the door. It wouldn't do for her to accidentally shoot him either. In his kitchen, he found Emma Swan standing, her gun drawn and behind her, handcuffed to one of his kitchen chairs was Sidney Glass. He had to resist the temptation to laugh, actually. "Well, what have we here?" he said mildly, trying to keep the smile off his face. "One of Storybrooke's leading lights, a man who not to long ago ran for Sheriff with the Mayor's backing, caught breaking and entering." 

"I wasn't breaking and entering, I was..." Emma interrupted him. 

"He says he was just passing by and saw someone entering your house, and since pretty much everyone in town knows that you open by 10:00."

"It's true," Sidney said, trying for innocent, though it was hard to manage while controlling the sheer panic that Gold could see behind his eyes. "I was just passing, saw a suspicious person. Just doing my duty as a friend and neighbour."

"So you followed them in, rather than call me?" Emma questioned, one eyebrow raised. "Against a burglar that might be armed?"

"It was stupid, I admit," Sidney said, though he was clearly starting to get his feet back under him. "I just, I know things have been a little awkward with us recently, and I thought if I could do this..."

"Hmmmm, and perhaps earn a little favour?" Gold said, and the other two knew that he wasn't suggesting a favour from the sheriff. The newspaper man smiled just a little. "So sheriff, is there any evidence of this other person?" he asked. He wasn't sure if he would pursue this or not, at least the calmer side of him wasn't sure, the rest was screaming for the love sick genie's blood and possibly the odd body part or two. Breaking into his house was not particularly a murder worthy affair, especially as it looked as if nothing was disturbed or broken, but frightening Belle, now that was a different kettle of fish all together. On the other hand, if it convinced Glass, and thereby Regina that Belle wasn't hiding in his home, then all was well. 

"There is a set of lock picks by the door, I can check them for finger prints, but as cold as it is, everyone is pretty much wearing gloves. I might find an older print though. Beyond that, I caught Sidney here in that room up front, he said he was looking for the burglar. Nothing looks like it got touched, no sign of another intruder."

"Perhaps we had best take a walk through, all the same," he said. "It wouldn't do to find out afterward."

"Yes, I was actually waiting for you to get here, get permission. If you don't mind, I'll just do a quick walk through and then I will get Sidney out of your hair." 

"Let me give you a tour, Sheriff Swan," he said urbanely, gesturing before him with old fashioned courtesy. 

"Yeah, sure," she said, put off as she always was by Gold's manner when he was being pleasant. 

"What about me?" Sidney said. "What if the burglar is hiding? I don't want to be here by myself." Emma sighed heavily. There was no real proof that Sidney was lying, even though she could feel it deep down in her soul. But better safe than sorry.

"Bring him along," Gold said, though he didn't sound particularly pleased. "This is the kitchen as you can see. There is a pantry over there, and the door to the cellar," he said, pointing them out. Emma opened the pantry door, found it bare, then the next one, the door screeching on its hinges.. 

"What's down there," she asked, pointing both her pistol and her flashlight down the stairs.

"Storage and laundry facilities. I don't get down there much myself," he said, nodding to his leg. "But my cleaner uses it when she comes in, which isn't until next week. But do you really think someone could have got down there secretly? That door is a menace, I keep meaning to have it seen to, but as I don't use it..." he shrugged. 

"Ok, next, I haven't got all day." Mr. Gold nodded.

"The next one is the butler's pantry, nothing in there but what you would expect, but the door doesn't sound as if its being slowly murdered." Emma opened the door, to find pretty much what he described. Actually the cabinets were full of china, silver, and all kinds of fascinating things, kind of like his shop, but she dragged herself away from the site and gesturing Sidney up from the chair, the strange party proceeded out into the dining room, the living room, where a History book lay open on the sofa, and the fireplace looked like it just needed more wood, the first sign that the house was actually occupied. Mr. Gold leaned over, checked the page number, and then closed it, and set it on the table. 

It seemed a little over fussy for Mr. Gold, but then despite the chaos of his shop, his home, while cluttered with things in a rather victorian fashion, cupboards full of china, silver and ...things, still it was neat and organized, perhaps obsessively so. Perhaps it was his refuge, but who knew what went through the man's mind. Instead she followed him into another room, rather like the living room, but which looked completely unused, more like a stage set. It was that room where she had found Sidney, looking around curiously. It was obvious that he had never been in the house either. She looked around to see Sidney, behind her, but before Gold, looking around as if he was cataloging the entire room for a news article. For all she knew, he was. 

"This is the last room on this floor," Mr. Gold said as she opened the last door. "Its my home office, so please don't get too curious." The last comment was clearly directed at Sidney. Emma took a quick look around, established that the room was empty, and left it, pulling the door behind her. She wasn't sure why, but the room made her uncomfortable, or rather made her feel as if she was looking through his drawers, clearly that was his personal space, and somehow it felt like a violation. Emma pushed those thoughts away. 

"Upstairs, what's there?" she asked, pointing. 

"Three bedrooms on the next floor, two of them unused, the one and only bathroom, above that is the third floor, where I keep my library. You can go up if you wish, and if you think it necessary, though I will say from experience that you can hear every step someone makes up there. Its the wooden floors."

"Might as well check anyway," she said, and started up the stairs. She hadn't paid much attention to things like closets and other good hiding places, so Mr. Gold was not worried about Belle. Besides, Belle was smart, she would keep herself safe, or so he kept telling himself. He was pretty sure that she also was certain who the perpetrator was, but they also both knew there was no evidence, and proving it might be difficult. He tried not to think about it as he dragged himself slowly upstairs. This could get tricky, if Belle hadn't put all her things away, but he would just have to trust to her inherent neatness. 

The first door Emma opened was the one to Bae's room, or at least the room he thought of that way. It wasn't overt, just the furnishings were a bit more masculine, perhaps a trace younger, but it also contained his son's things, or the things he had got for him after, well all the things picked up in a magpie life, hidden away in drawers and closets. She took a quick look around, noting nothing out of place and pulled the door, the same with the bathroom, just a quick look around. Gold glanced at the room himself, noted that everything was in order, and followed on. 

At his bedroom, Emma stopped. "Proof that you are human after all, Gold," she said. 

"Some people would argue that with you. Discovered my secret?" he said, trying to smile, wondering what she found, when he came in to the room beside her. His bed was unmade, of course, he had left it rather suddenly last night. There was his whiskey glass on the night table, and his slippers were on the rug, probably because he had forgot to put them up this morning, and his pajamas were laying flung across the foot of the bed. 

"Yep, though as a bachelor, you are ridiculously neat," the Sheriff said. She wasn't sure exactly why she was teasing with him, but considering he had been actually being pleasant, she wasn't sure what else she can do.

"Can we get one with this?" Sidney said, sounding a bit put out. "And how about getting these cuffs off? I'm not going to hurt anyone." Emma considered it, sighed, looked at Gold who stood there expressionless. 

"All right, but you stay right here. You are going to have to go down to the station with me. Consider yourself in custody til I get those burgulary tools fingerprinted. Besides, I need a statement."

"So you do believe me?" he asked, trying to smile.

"Didn't say that, but I don't have any proof one way or another, and the prosecutor is only interested in what he can prove. Now, lets check these last two rooms and get out of here."

Belle's room was neat and cleaned. She had made her bed, hung all of her things up, and even put the chair back where it belonged. Nothing to show that there was anyone living there at all, save a couple strands of her hair in the brush, and they had no way of knowing that was who it belonged too. Gold looked around the room as if he was seeing it for the first time. When the Sheriff gave him a curious look, he shrugged, said he had forgotten what he had put in that room, and then walked away. 

The strange procession made its way up the stairs to the last floor, which was, in essence, one giant library. The stairs stopped at a small landing, the door was open, and there was nothing but bookshelves on the walls, all of the walls. From the look it had once been two rooms but someone, possibly Gold himself, had put an arch in the wall between the two sides, lined both sides with book shelves, put a table and chair on one said, and a couple of comfortable reading chairs with a table between them on the other. The windows where large, and covered with old fashioned curtains, the lacy kind that she remembered the mother of one of her foster parents having, under heavy drapes that could be closed to keep the cold out, or possibly the sun, wasn't there something about sun damage? Regardless she admired the room, it looked extremely comfortable. "Nice room," she said.

"It is, isn't it?" he said. "Outside of my office, it's probably my favourite."

"Looks comfortable, mind if I ask you a question?" the sheriff asked him, looking just a little ill at ease. 

"You may, Sheriff Swan, of course, I researve the right not to answer," he said, with a pleasant smile.

"Why here, I mean it can't be all that comfortable to...well."

"Why does a cripple put one of his favourite rooms at the top of the house?" he asked perceptively.

"I...well, that wasn't what I meant, but..." she was flustered now, and just a little embarassed, so he decided to let her off the hook. 

"It was the only room where they would all fit, or at least where they would fit with a minimum of remodeling," he shrugged. "But well worth a little discomfort. Let me show you," he said as he led her round to the one side of the arch. In the far wall was a fireplace, probably exactly where the one she had noticed on the ground floor was, in a cosy little nook formed by the arched wall and the house wall. Sidney was too busy gawping at his collection of books, which he admitted was breath taking all on its own. But he was too busy charming the Sheriff to be too concerned with the newspaper man. Let him wonder and worry as to what would happen. It was better to let him stew for a time. But now it was time to get them out of here. He was sure that Belle was safe wherever she was, but he wanted her out. He had wasted more than enough time, and made sure that the bloody mirror would take the right tale back to his mistress, now he had better things to do. "Now, I believe you have seen it all. Probably the first tour of this house anyone in town has ever got, I hope that you won't tell everyone how dull it is and spoil my reputation?" he said with a bit of a wicked grin. 

The Sheriff found herself grinning back, and wondering if Mr. Gold was actually flirting with her, and what she could or should do about it. After all, she wasn't the least bit interested. Not that he was a bad looking man, but besides being pretty certainly older than she was, she just didn't trust him. Instead she just told him that she wouldn't say anything, at all. He nodded, and let her, with Sidney in front of her, proceed him down the stairs. Once she had Sidney in the back of the car, she returned to the house, picked up the evidence bag with the burglary tools in, and turned to Gold. 

"What are you planning on doing?" she asked him.

"What do you mean, Miss Swan," he asked, slightly less formally. 

"You know I am going to have a hard time making this case, unless his fingerprints turn up on these. I could probably charge him with trespass but..."

"Yes, I can see the headlines now, 'Local Newspaperman Selfless pursues Burglar, Gets Charged with Tresspass'. No thank you. There are plenty enough people in this town willing to believe badly of me."

"Thought you didn't care, actually, what people thought of you." 

"Perhaps, perhaps I am just used to it. Regardless, I will make an arrangement with you, Sheriff," he said, leading her towards the door by the arm. 

"I don't make arrangements, not when its about a crime," she said suspiciously. 

"I think you will agree with this," he said. "If you find Sidney's fingerprints on those tools, or any evidence at all, I will be happy to press charges. But if not..."

"That's fair," she agreed, "do you want a ride back to your shop?" 

"No thank you, I was planning to come home for a sandwich anyway, I forgot some papers I needed to look over and I really should take a look at that door lock, make sure it's not broken. I'll be fine."

"Ok," she said. She'd done her job, besides, it wasn't as if he didn't have that big black land yacht sitting in the driveway. She wondered idly why he drove the big black monster, instead of something newer and smaller, then she thought about his leg. Emma wasn't sure what was wrong with him, besides that he limped and needed the cane. Maybe the bigger car was easier for him to operate, or had some kind of modification. Putting it out of her mind, she slipped behind the wheel of the sheriff's car. "Now, Sidney, what was that all about?" she asked, looking behind her. 

 

THe moment he closed the door behind the sheriff, Gold called out for Belle. He wasn't looking forward to another trip up the stairs, a three story house for a man with a bad leg was yet another one of Regina's little annoyances, but he made his way up them anyway. Then he started to think. Under the bed? Too easy.. The closet? Emma had opened the door but not really given it a good look and it was rather large, having probably started as a dressing room. There was also the airing cupboard in the hall, and the linen closet in the bathroom, though he wasn't honestly certain she would have gone there, it was pretty full and it might set her off. Finally he opened the closet door, and walked in. At the back was a built in unit that he used to store things that didn't see a lot of use. It was big, and deeper than it looked, he knew well. As he looked closely at it, he realized that the door was also not closed all the way. "Belle, come on love, it's safe," he coaxed, not wanting to startle her. The door opened slowly, and he saw the light of his life, uncoiling from his wool overcoats. 

"Are they gone, did the man get arrested? What happened?" she said. "I did exactly as you said, but once I was in there, I couldn't hear, and I was afraid that if I came out, I'd not get back in time," she asked all in one breath as he reached for her arm to help her out. He smiled just a little. Curiosity, that was his Belle. 

"They are gone. Will he be arrested? That depends. He told the sheriff that he saw someone breaking in and he only followed them. If he was smart, the lock picks will not have his fingerprints on them. If they do, I promised the sheriff I would press charges. But if not, they probably can't prove anything."

"That's not right, there was no other man, I only heard one person," she said, looking distressed at him, as they made their way slowly down the stairs. 

Gold followed her into the kitchen more slowly than usual. His leg was going to make him pay for that later, he knew but it didn't matter. "Belle, its not as if we can tell them there was a witness, in fact, that is the last thing we need. Right now, we have just proved that there was no one in my house. And as I left Regina to lock up at the shop, I am sure she has had it throughly searched, do you understand?"

"She doesn't know I am with you," Belle said. "She thinks I am out there somewhere."

"Exactly, she will have her people looking for you everywhere but where you are. I wouldn't be surprised if my cabin gets broken into, but since there is very little that can be damaged or is worth stealing there, I'm not concerned. Perhaps I'll drive up there on Sunday, just to see," he considered out loud.

"For right now, why don't you sit down while I get you some lunch," she said, opening the drawer in the refrigerator to find the cold cuts that he had bought yesterday. 

"Belle love," he started to protest, but one look at her face, and he removed his jacket and set himself down in his chair. Sometimes it was better to give his true love her way, or at least easier. 

 

Emma Swan sat in her office, thinking with a cup of cold coffee. Glass or Gold, which one did she trust, who did she believe? Sidney had been practically tied to Regina like a dog on a leash until his supposed change of heart, but so far he had not actually netted her anything important. Gold, well, he had his own agenda, that she knew for sure and it didn't always mesh with Regina's. This required more thinking. Half the town had seen her bring Sidney into the office. She had checked the tools for prints, but nothing showed except some smudges. She'd tried to ask Sidney straight out, but he just said that at least they had gotten to see Gold's house, and knew he wasn't hiding anything. 

Emma didn't necessarily agree with that, but then she felt like she had missed a page of the book that everyone else had gotten. Instead, with no prints on the tools and no proof she had released the newspaper man, with a warning to stay away from Gold and his house, because the last thing he wanted was to see the other side of the pawnbroker. Emma had seen it, she had no desire to see it again. 

 

Mr. Gold, having eaten a sandwich that his Belle had prepared for him, checked the doors to make sure the locks were undamaged, made his way slowly towards his shop. He had been closed longer today than he usual was, but it was a small town and he was sure that the attempted break in at his house had already raced around town. He knew he probably should have taken the car, but it didn't much matter. So far, his day was not without its pleasures. He still hadn't given Belle the necklace. He had decided to wait til tonight when she was more settled. 

He was just making his way past the Nolan house, reflecting on the little bit of work he had got his employee to attend to earlier. Soon enough he would have piled another straw on the camel's back of Regina's curse. It neither was nor wasn't a surprise to see Katherine Nolan closing the back of her SUV piled with bags and slide into the driver's seat. The whole town knew about David's leaving her. While some of them were inclined to view Mary Margaret poorly, as a house breaker, her verbal assault on her at the school had assured that, her vandalism of the primary school teacher's car had turned sympathy, especially when Granny had opined that it was strange that Katherine had never reported him missing for all that time, thinking he'd left her, so why was she surprised now.   
Mr. Gold slowed a little, then stopped as the backing lights of the car went on. But instead of her reversing down the drive, there was a grinding noise, followed by smoke, and Katherine jumping out of the car, tears running down her face as she tried to figure out how to open the hood. 

"Mrs. Nolan, are you alright?" he asked, walking up the driveway, the picture of small town neighborliness. 

"Mr. Gold, I don't... I just...Oh," she said and threw her hands up in the air. He reached into his pocket and offered her a handkerchief. 

 

"Car trouble is it?" he asked, looking at faint oily black smoke that came from under the hood with feigned surprise.

"I don't know what happened, I just tried to start it, and well, that happened. David's gone and I don't know a thing about cars."

"Well, I'm not expert, but I'm betting that this is something for a professional. Would you like to use my mobile? I have the number to the mechanics shop. I'm pretty certain its not going anywhere on its own right now. Perhaps you'd best get it towed?" he said, offering her his phone. 

"Yes, I suppose..." she said, choking back tears. "Yes, that would be best. Now I'll have to unload the car again." 

"Going on a trip, Mrs. Nolan?" he inquired gently, as he queued up the mechanics number on his phone for her. 

"Going for good, Mr. Gold. Its not that I don't love Storybrooke but..."

"But it can be a bit awkward, when things change. Still, its not as if David has been round these last years. You have been alone for quite a while. People know that. There is no shame in having grown apart after such a long time. Maybe its time for a clean break, but its no need to leave when you've done nothing wrong, either of you." Katherine Nolan looked at Mr. Gold suddenly as if seeing him for the first time. She didn't realize that the pawnbroker made such...sense. "Let me get those bags out of the boot for you, while you call the mechanic."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Extra bonus long post today because I just couldn't seem to stop writing. Probably good since I have no time to write tomorrow. Usual stuff, still no Beta, though I went through and did a massive edit and repost. Comments appreciated.


	20. Cleaning up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More plotting, more planning.

The walk to his shop was pleasant enough, though the chill was starting to set in as the day wound down, and he expected that there would be a storm this evening. He was actually wondering about his choice to walk, but if the weather turned it would be his excuse to go home early then. Actually he was reconsidering his decision to reopen at all, after all he had more than enough reason if he had wished but he was not really one for staying around the house, though he did respond to the sheriffs request that he get a dog, an alarm system or possibly just stop pissing people off with a promise to think about it, though he had claimed innocence of the last. A dog was in interesting idea, something to keep Belle company. He'd been rather fond of dogs, back in the day, good for keeping the sheep safe and contained, and for keeping the feet warm on a cold night.

The shop was locked up, precisely as he had asked Regina, and he expected he would see her as well before the end of the day. Of course it would take a few days for her to find out about his latest move, and there was no way to trace it back to him. After all, how could he have possibly known about Katherine's car trouble, or Frederick's presence at the garage? It was, after all, what anyone would do in the situation.

Taking out his key, he went in the back door, and began his own search. Yes, she had been through, but careful. There were many things that were almost, but not exactly where they had been, and it was pretty certain that if he were to look carefully he would find a listening device of some sort. Regina struck him as that desperate. But he had all afternoon for that. First, he put on the electric kettle, and went out front to turn the sign. Archie should be coming by, probably when he took Pongo out for his walk with that information on dealing with memory loss, and he didn't want to wait any longer for that.

Having nothing better to do but wait, Mr. Gold started that search. Of course there were plenty of places in the shop that she couldn't access, not having his keys, places that he knew she would have loved to get into but she hadn't the time. He was meticulous, starting with the more common places, the telephone for example, old fashioned but heavy and he generally preferred it for shop business. Mobiles, like computers, were useful pieces of technology, but not to his taste. Actually Rumplestiltskin found the whole business distasteful, after all, electronic bugs were just too easy, required no skill. But Regina had rarely been accused of finesse, regardless of how hard he tried to teach her. In the end, he found four of the little listening devices, at least two of which he was certain he was meant to find. "Ah, your majesty, really, you must be more careful," he said with a disappointed sigh before he drowned the two of them in a cup of hot water while he made his tea. The other two he would leave until after her visit. Let her think she was clever.

The afternoon was moving relatively slowly as he finished putting things back and double checking that he'd found all of Regina's gifts, when the shop bell rang. "Sheriff," he said pleasantly as he turned towards her. "Twice in one day, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Just thought I would come by and tell you, no prints on the lock picks. Sidney is sticking to his story, and I really have nothing to hold him on. I doubt they are going to want to bring charges, but I will if you want."

"I happen to agree with you, actually. Legally there is no case there. I assume that whoever called didn't leave an name or number?"

"Nope, nothing, just that someone was lurking suspiciously around your house."

"Probably one of the neighbours, perhaps the same one that reported it the last time?"

"Could be. If I thought there was a chance of prosecuting..."

"I understand, you are, after all, responsible for the entire town, I can hardly expect you to take too much time on a break in where nothing was actually broken or stolen. I am sure that it will all sort itself in the end." Mr. Gold smiled at her, it wouldn't do for her to think he had forgotten.

"Gold, do me a favour?" she asked, with a sigh.

"That depends on what you want. I will consider it at least."

"Leave Sidney alone, and don't try to take the law into your own hands. Didn't you tell me yesterday that you would try to stay out of trouble?"

"I believe I said I would try, but I will agree that as long as there is no proof either way, regardless of what I believe, I will leave Sidney Glass alone. However, if he tries to get into my house again..."

"I've already told him to stay away from you. If you have any other problems..." she left it there and turned toward the door.

"One question, Sheriff Swan," he asked before she got to the door.

"Yeah, Gold?"

"Where was Sidney's car?"

"His car? Good question. It wasn't parked at your house. He implied that he was just walking by when he saw the intruder. In fact, that is what he said in his official statement."

"Interesting. Glass lives on the far side of the village, no where near my house. So what was he doing walking up that way?" Having given her something to think about, he smiled and bid her goodbye on his way through the curtain. Interview over, and with several things to think about, Emma Swan let herself out of the shop, the tinkling of the little brass bell following her out into the cold.

Archie was his next visitor, dropping by to offer his shocked sympathy over the break in, as well as a couple of books, and a list of material that could be looked up on the internet. "I marked the articles that I think would be the most useful, but I'm not sure how helpful any of it will be, not really knowing the situation. If you could give me just a little more..."

"Thank you, Archie, this is a good start and I will consider..." he was saying as the bell rang again, and Regina entered the shop.

"Oh, uh, of course, I'll just be going then. Talk to you later, Mr. Gold, Mayor Mills," he said vaguely as he hurried out of the shop. It was extremely convenient timing, actually. The little cricket couldn't ask any more, wouldn't, in fact with someone else present, as he was extremely conscientious about privacy. Also, Regina scared him. Before she could approach the counter, he swept the books off the counter and the paper into his pocket.

"What can I do for you Regina?" he asked, smiling, this time almost genuine. "Thank you for closing up for me, and for the little gifts you left."

"Oh come now, Rumple, you know you'd be disappointed if I didn't. What did the little insect want? Selling some of his books?" she asked, clearly curious.

"Loaning a couple of them to me, actually. As I told you before, some things need a nonmagical solution, thought I would do a little research," he told her. Let her think it was for her, the longer she didn't see him, the deeper he could thrust the knife.

"So you are considering helping me now? Last night you were rather unpleasant to me," she said, trying for what passed for a sweet smile, or at least it had when she was seventeen.

"I never said last night that I wouldn't help you, I said I couldn't, and magically, I still can't. However, I am at least willing to entertain the notion, for the right price," he told her. "If and only if you have the answer to the question I asked you. Things are delicate, your Majesty. You have to know exactly what it is you want first," he said holding up a finger towards her in a very schoolmasterish sort of way. "Then of course there is the matter of my payment."

"You'll get paid, imp. I've never broken a deal with you yet, have I?" she said to him icily. She hated the way that sometimes he made her feel the fool, or the simpleton, just like when he had been her master, and she his apprentice. It had always rankled when anyone had power over her, ever since she had got rid of her mother.

"Very well, so which is it, do you want David and Katherine back together, or is it more important to keep he and Mary Margaret apart?"

"You had mentioned that all this was stretching the boundaries of what the curse was meant to do," she said carefully, unwittingly falling back on a pattern she had tried to break when she was no longer his student. "Is one of those two options going to ease the pressure, or make it worse."

He nodded approvingly. She was at least thinking now. That didn't much serve him, but he knew he might have to play some very careful games in order to get what he wanted in the end. The question was, how exactly to put the pressure in the right places. "Now at least you are asking the right questions. It's all a matter of priority." Of course she wasn't to know that getting David and Katherine back together would very shortly be impossible, or at least impossible without further weakening the curse. He thought briefly about actually lying to her but the backlash, that was something Rumplestiltskin was not about to risk, not with Belle at stake.

"So tell me," she said impatiently.

"Not yet, dearie, we still don't have a deal," he said, and smiled, even though it ate at him to have her there. _Soon_ , he thought, _soon_.

It took another half an hour to finish with Regina. Actually he probably wouldn't have gotten rid of her so easily if it hadn't been for his next visitor, or should he say repeat visitor. "Ah, Mr. Nolan, second time today. I trust that it's not another message from the sheriff?"

"I will talk to you about that business venture later, Mr. Gold." Regina said as she made her way out. "David." Perfect timing actually, as he and Regina had been dancing around both her answers and his price. Honestly there was nothing he wanted from her this time, and he wasn't interested in a deal, but he must act after his nature, or she would know. Meanwhile, he turned to David.

"So, what can I do for you today?" he asked the young man. _Interesting that the prince should chose today to come around_ , Gold thought. "After your help earlier, I suppose I should give you a good deal," he said with a half smile.

"I don't know, exactly. I think, I guess I'm looking for something for Mary Margaret, a present? I don't know what I'm looking for, really," the man trailed off. Ok, not time for his mother's ring then, but something else. Gold thought about it.

"I am sure we can find something,"

David Nolan's visit turned out to be more convenient than he expected. "Weather's turning bad out there," the young man said as he started to leave with his package wrapped under his arm. "Did you drive back?"

"No," Mr. Gold said to him. "I'm afraid that I walked. I hadn't expected the storm so soon."

"If you want to close up now, I'll give you a ride."

"You are too kind," he told him, a bit surprised but then how could he be? Prince Charming was always that sort. "Just let me close up." It would make things much easier, actually. He had not wanted to have to call his employee to pick him up. The sleet was coming down heavily, and most of the town was already closed down. Granny's was open, he could see the lights on, and the grocer as well, but even as he looked out the door, he could see the rest of the town shutting down for the storm.

"Looks like it's going to be a bad one," David said, as he got into the truck for the second time of the day.

"These late storms usually are," he said, though he wasn't really one for small talk. "We might find ourselves all snowed in tomorrow. I might have to reconsider Saturday hours." The thought was not as unpleasant usual especially as they watched the sleet turn to snow.


	21. The Last Snowfall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mr. Gold and Belle prepare to be snowed in as a blizzard approaches StoryBrooke.

Mr. Gold said his goodbye to David Nolan on the street, telling him that he really ought to get himself home as soon as he could, and it being easier to drop him on the curb. The man had been pleasant to him, and a big help as far as getting home. He realised looking at the snow that the storm was coming on even faster, and that it was much bigger than he expected. Good thing he had not gotten distracted or he could have found himself sleeping in the back of the shop, which would not have done with Belle home.

As it was, he made his way up the front steps considering that he'd best get more wood for the fire, and check the candles, oil lamps and matches. Then there was food. he had got more than he usually did the other day. Actually he had told the owner at the time that he thought there was going to be a storm. So, food, heat from the fire if it came down to it, the hot water was gas, as was the cooker, and he had Belle and an entire library of books she hadn't read. They could be snowed in til the spring thaw, and he would be just as happy, for once. It could only be better if Belle had her memory and still wanted to stay with him. In that case, he could happily stay locked in for at least several years. 

"Belle?" he called as he locked the front door behind him. There was a very pleasant and very familiar smell coming from the kitchen, the fire was built up, and there was a throw over the couch, along with the book he had put on the side table earlier. He was just about to call out to her again, when she came flying down the stairs, right into his arms. He was so startled, he almost dropped his cane, but not before he had gathered her into his arms. "Belle," he said smiling in a way that no one in town would have thought him capable of. "Am I to guess from that welcome that you are glad to have me back, love?" he said before he could stop the endearment or the happy laugh that accompanied it. 

"Of course I am," she said. She had not let go of him, and he was a little concerned about the sudden outburst. "I'm always glad when you come home." The words were not casual, nor teasing, but serious, and he felt a painful lump form in his throat, but he swallowed it down with great care. 

"Here now," he said, starting to release her, though she didn't seem inclined. "I'm getting snow on you. Let me get this coat off, before I give you a chill." Belle let go, though slowly, as if she didn't care about the wet snow seeping through the dress she was wearing. Then as suddenly, she pulled back and looked at him properly. 

"You get those things off," she said, suddenly his brisk efficient little caretaker again. "You'd best get out of those shoes and socks. They can dry by the fire, while I go and get your slippers, and a towel." Before he could open his mouth, she was gone again. Rumplestiltskin didn't necessarily like the idea that he was being managed, but it was Belle, and he reasoned with himself that it made her feel like she was being useful. So he took off his coat, gloves and scarf and hung them on the empty rack in the hall, and then went into the living room to take off his shoes and socks as ordered. His pants, he thought, weren't too damp, as his coat was fairly long and he'd not been out in it too long, but his shoes were definitely wet and as he warmed up, he became aware that the damp was seeping into his socks. Before he could get his shoes more than untied, Belle was back with a towel for his hair and his slippers. He didn't exactly know how to react to it all. Here he was trying to keep his distance, give her a chance to get her memories back, to put no pressure on her at all, and she was taking care of him like...well, like a wife, he supposed, though Milah had never been one to care much about his comfort one way or another. 

To cover his disturbed thoughts, he continued to remove the shoes and socks, before putting on his slippers. They were nice and warm and felt good after the long day and more walking on his bad leg than he usually did. Belle took his things from him, and put them in front of the fire, before reminding him to dry his hair, and going into the hall to bring his scarf in to put in front of the fire as well. He finished doing as she commanded, and then when she want to take the towel back upstairs, arrested her almost frantic movements. "Belle, what's the matter, love?" he said, quietly. 

"Nothing, nothing at all. I suppose I just..." she paused. It was hard to explain, she was having all these feelings that she really didn't know what to do with. "I wasn't expecting you home so early, so when I heard the door, I thought...then it was you, and I was so happy to see you."

"And I you, nothing wrong with that, however I sense there is something more to the story," he looked at her gently, tugging her to set down next to him.

"I don't know, I'm just feeling a little odd. One moment I feel like I just want to put my arms around you, you make me feel safe. But then I start to think that maybe you don't...you don't feel that way about me, that you aren't comfortable. I'm sorry, I'm making a miserable hash out of this," she said blushing and looking down at her hands in her lap. 

He thought about it, he had been trying very hard not to act out of feelings from a time she didn't remember, trying not to take advantage, or be over familiar with her. It wouldn't be right. But letting her think that he didn't want her to touch him, to feel comfortable taking his hand, or hugging him if she wanted to, that he would never do. Gold very carefully formed the words in his mind. This situation was far more delicate and more important than the most intricate contract. "Belle," he said, reaching for her hand, hoping that she would look at him. When she didn't, he carefully cupped her chin and turned her to him. "I have been trying not to push you. I don't want you to think that I have any expectations of you based on things that you don't remember. I will never push you away," he told her. "I'm just trying to..."

"Be a gentleman?" she asked, looking him in the eyes. 

"I'd not go that far, dearie," he said with just a hint of his old humour. "Not sure that I've ever been accused of that now. But don't feel like you can't reach out to me, if you want." He didn't think he had expressed himself as well as he would like, but she reached out and put her arms around him, and rested her head against his shoulder and he didn't care if he'd done it well or not if it got her here, his beautiful girl in his arms, his wet things drying before the fire, and the smell of something pleasant coming from the kitchen. Actually it reminded him of a particularly snowy winter when she was living in the dark castle. He had come from making one of his deals, covered in snow, and considerably more chilled that he was now. In fact, with just a few changes he could imagine himself back there, with her. What a life it would have been if he had never thrown her out, if he had just accepted that it was true love, and let her break the curse. He had been toying with the idea at the time, but with the Giants and the magic beans gone, and no other way to reach his son, he knew even then that he had no other choice. 

"Hat," Belle said thoughtfully. He looked at her. "You should have a hat," she clarified, looking at the rest of the things warming before the fire.

"Ah," he replied. "I've never been one for hats, though I'll admit they can be useful. But short of you knitting me one..." he said He couldn't particularly picture himself in a hat, though he had not thought much bout it one way or another. "Unless you plan on knitting me one..." he said, not sure what to say to her. 

"Do I know how to knit?" she asked curiously, looking him in the eye. 

"I..." he said, not sure what to say. She had known, back in their world, what passed for a useful life skill, along with dancing, embroidery, and the other sorts of skills expected of ladies in her social standing. But Archie had said familiar things would be alright. "You did," he said. 

"Then maybe I still do, I haven't actually tried." The thought of wearing a hand knit cap was completely at odds with his outward image, but he held his tongue, wishing he had not said anything. But if it gave her something to occupy herself while she was trapped in the house then image be damned. 

"We will have to see if we can find you some needles and some wool then," he said. There were probably some around the house somewhere, he thought, he knew he had wool yarn. If not, internet shopping was bound to take up some of their time tomorrow. 

"That would be nice, though, there are all those books to read too. But right now, I should go check on dinner."

"It smells wonderful," he said sincerely. It also smelled familiar, which made him wonder what she had been making. He couldn't quite reach it. 

"Well, why don't you come with me into the kitchen. I can make some tea," she said, as she slipped away from him. He missed the warmth of her and didn't have to be asked twice. Besides, he realised that as comfortable as he was right now, he needed to get that wood inside. The power was holding but as he peered out into the darkness, he knew the storm was going to be even worse than he was expecting. 

Belle was refilling the kettle as he came into the room. The large pot of the stove was giving off that pleasant smell, the one that overturned his general apathy to food. "You get the tea going, I need to bring in more wood, before the storm gets worse," he said, pulling snow boots out of the cupboard by the back door. 

"I can help you," she said, wiping her hands on the tea towel. 

"No you can't, dear. I'll not have you outside, someone might see. Besides, you have no coat, and no snow boots. Humour an old man in his paranoia."

"You're not old, and I could wear one of your extra coats, but I have no boots. Still, I can make tea, and help you carry the wood from here," she said, looking to the practical.

"Belle," he started

"It'll keep you from tracking snow through the house," she told him, and once again he couldn't argue. Instead he put his outdoor gear back on, and let himself out into the storm. 

By the time he had got enough wood to stock all the fireplaces, with extra in case the weather lasted a bit, closed the log store and dragged himself back into the house he was once again damp, chilled to the bone and his leg was starting to ache. Inside, Belle had laid down newspapers for his boots, warm towels, and was just filling the tea pot from the kettle. "Get those boots off," she said. "And get yourself warmed up. It won't any good if you make yourself ill." 

He didn't even bother to tell her that he was rarely ill, or that he had been taking care of himself without her for the last thirty years or so. That he was even having those thoughts made him realise that he was tired, and out of sorts. Instead, Mr. Gold took offf the heavy coat that he used for just that sort of work and hung in back in the cupboard along with the heavy work gloves, and then sat down and pulled off the boots and heavy socks. Belle fixed his cup of tea while he dried his hair again, and considered whether or not his wanted to go up change clothes. His dress trousers were now both damp and dirty, he had sweat through his shirt, and his tie was askew. But the snow was coming down even more heavily, and he was glad that the work was done. So much for the plan to head up and check on the cabin on Sunday though. He sighed. He had been considering sneaking Belle up there with him, giving her a chance to get out of the house. The cabin was deep in the woods and very quiet. But he supposed he would have to settle for being homebound with Belle. 

Actually, Gold thought as he, finished toweling his hair as dry as he could, he couldn't imagine a better way to spend the weekend. "What are you making, love?" he asked, warming his hands with the tea mug. He really wanted to get her tea cup out, her little chipped cup, the one that he had kept, carefully. There would be time for that, for familiar things. Like the necklace in his coat pocket, the one that he hadn't given her yet. 

"Stew," she said. "It is one of those things that I just know how to make. And you had all the ingredients. You like beef stew don't you?" she asked, for a moment mildly concerned. 

"I do, in fact on a night like tonight, I can think of nothing that would suit me better," he said, smiling at her. He wasn't sure what he had done, but right now he was as happy as he remembered being. The contentment lasted only as long as it took him to realise how uncomfortable he was in the damp and dirty dress shirt. Gold finished his tea and dragged himself once again up the stairs. In his bedroom, he discovered that his bed was made, his pajamas folded on the pillow, and the room had been straightened. Part of him wanted to see it as an invasion, the other part wanted Belle to enjoy herself, to relax with no cares, and not spend her time cleaning and cooking for him, but he knew he would never convince her. 

Gold dug around in his closet to find a pair of old trousers that he'd not worn probably since the last storm, removed his tie and shirt, and drag an old sweater over his head. He looked at himself in the mirror, and didn't know what to make of the image looking back at him. The former sorcerer didn't know what to make of himself. He was not accustomed to being so relaxed, certainly not in front of someone else. But it was Belle, if he ever wanted to have a life with her, in this world or the old one, he needed to learn to do things normally again. With those strange and disturbing thoughts chasing each other around his head, he made his way back down the stairs, wishing that he could find a really good solution for going up and down the stairs, and wondering if he could just sleep on the settee.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because most of my chapter titles are taken from songs or song lyrics (though I am not sure what a play list made out of them would look like, I might have to try that), this one is The Last Snowfall, by Vienna Teng. Enjoy and just add the usual disclaimers.


	22. All Around the Town

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As a blizzard sets in on Storybrooke, ME, the town settles in for a white night.

Leroy was disgusted. He had actually argued with his boss a week ago about taking the plow attachments off the village trucks. He'd known it was too soon, that they were due another big storm. Now he when he could be having dinner and a beer at Granny's, he was here, reattaching the plows. Not that they were going to be able to start plowing the roads until the snow let up a little. There wasn't a lot of point right now, still, he was missing his dinner. Cursing his boss and the snow and the town in general, he resisted kicking the truck and grabbed a wrench. The faster he got this done, the faster he could get over and join the boys at least for a little while. He was going to need a good meal. It was going to be a long night. 

 

Katherine Nolan sat comfortably in the living room of her house and smiled at the man sitting on her couch. It had taken a while to get the car towed, and then diagnosed. They had found the problem with little effort, but she had been told that the parts would take a couple of days to acquire, but somehow she didn't much care anymore. Jim, the mechanic and tow truck driver had been so very sweet to her. There was just something about him, he seemed so very familiar, like she had met him before in a dream. She'd also never thought a mechanic would be such an interesting conversationalist. The storm had started to blow up by the time that they knew what was going on with her car, and he had offered to drive her home. After that, it just seemed natural to invite him in for a coffee, as they had been enjoying discussing the architectural stylings of the older homes in Storybrooke. 

By the time they had finished their coffee, the wind had risen and the road was almost impossible to see. It took only a bare second of thought for Katherine to invite him to stay. After all, her husband had left her, not the other way round, and if she was honest with herself, people were right. She hadn't been happy with him before his accident, so much so that she never thought to look for him. If he could find happiness elsewhere, why should she stand in his way, it wasn't as if she hated him. It was time for her to think of her own happiness. "I can't let you go out in that," she said to Jim. "If something happened to you, I'd never get my car fixed." 

"Are you sure, I mean people will talk," he said cautiously. He'd never met a woman as fascinating as Katherine, and he really wasn't anxious to leave. 

"Let them," she said. "It's time I started thinking about living my life for me."

 

In Granny's diner, the crowd was slightly thinner than usual on a Friday night, and most of them were either waiting for take out orders, or living within a few blocks. "Its going to be a bad one," Mrs. Lucas said from the kitchen as she slide another pile of boxed dinners into the window. Ashleigh grabbed them and began putting them in plastic carry bags, nodding. 

"I hope that I can get home. Thomas has to be on the early shift tomorrow."

"I wouldn't worry, I doubt he will be able to get out tomorrow, or any of us," Ruby said from where she was refilling coffees at the counter. 

"I'll ride you home in the plow, Ashleigh," Leroy volunteered as he sat down at the counter. 

"So the plows will be running?" Dr. Hopper said. It was cold enough that Pongo had been let into the diner, everyone knowing him to be well behaved. He was laying under the coat rack, gnawing on a bone that Granny had slipped him, and being inconspicuous. 

"Just got them fitted back up," Leroy said. "Don't know why we took them off so early this year, told 'em we were going to have another storm." There was a lot of head shaking around the room.

"I'm glad I don't have to drive in it," Archie said, to the universal agreement of the inhabitants.

Mary-Margaret Blanchard and Emma Swan sat in the living room of the loft apartment they were sharing, finishing dinner, take out from Granny's. "These last minute blizzards are a pain," she said. "I just hope too many people don't decide to drive. I really should be in the office. There are always people who do stupid things in the weather."

"There's no need. Maybe in Boston they do, but around here, we have these every few years. People aren't stupid enough to go out in it. Everyone who doesn't live within walking distance, and by that I mean people like us, and Archie, they all got home early, hitting the grocery store first in case of power loss. Seriously, should be a quiet night. Everyone snowed in and quiet."

Emma could hear just a touch of sadness in her voice, and she was pretty sure that the call that had come in just as she was getting home was David, probably telling her that he was going to have to sleep at the shelter tonight, because of the weather. She knew he had told her earlier that he usually did, in case of a power outage, to make sure the backup generator came on. At least they were back to talking, and after yesterday's vandalism people seemed to have turned more or less back onto her side of the David thing. After all, she was the one that had read to him, sat by him, helped him when no one knew who he was. Then there was the general feeling that somehow, Katherine and David just didn't...fit. 

Shaking those sad thoughts off, she launched into a description of Sidney Glass's attempted break in or whatever it had been, of Mr. Gold's house. 

"You got to go inside?" Mary Margaret said with surprise. "He's not exactly the inviting type."

"I've been inside before, the last time he got broken in on, but this time, I actually got the whole tour. It's actually a really nice house, though it seems like he only lives in part of it. The rest is like a damned museum."

"You have got to tell me all about it. I mean you've braved the dragon's lair."

"Not so much a dragon," she said, not really sure why she was starting to feel there was more to Mr. Gold than she had thought before. She still didn't trust him, or not completely. She definitely trusted him more than Regina, but that didn't take a lot. "What do you know about him?" she asked Mary Margaret. "I mean really know about him, not gossip, but actual fact."

"I'll tell you everything I know, if you'll tell me about his house, deal?" the school teacher said with a smile.

"Sure, why not. I'll tell you upfront that he's the neatest bachelor I've ever known. Now..." The two women settled in for an evening of talking and the snow kept falling. 

August Booth looked out of the window of his room and watched the storm with a smile. Things were actually working well. His personal affliction had stopped progressing, and with each little change he could feel it taking less of a hold on him. He wasn't aware of everything, how could he be, but he knew one thing, the curse was weakening, pressures were being applied and at least some of them he was certain were from a dark sorcerer who had, while hiding it fairly well, been in a remarkably good mood. He had seen Moe French's delivery truck back on the road, well anyone would assume that was a bribe to get him to drop the charges. August was pretty sure that it wasn't though. Rumplestiltskin would never had given in, charges or no, not when he thought what he did about who Moe was. But now that Belle was safe, and back with the Dark one, he would be eager to wrap the curse up, to give his lady back her memories and to get his revenge on Regina.

He thought maybe he should lay more trail. Like everyone in town, he had heard about Sidney Glass. Unlike everyone else, he knew what Regina's lackey was looking for, and he knew that he hadn't found it. He still had a few things he had taken from the hospital, he could make it look like she was dead. After all, he hadn't been suspected in the break out. He'd been drugged too. August had stayed on for a few days afterward, just to make sure he wasn't suspected. Then he had put it around that he'd finally gotten the job upstairs. The other orderly told him he was a fool. "Why you want to work upstairs, the pay's better here, and they don't give you much trouble."

"Better hours, my girlfriend would like to see me awake sometimes," he said and the other man nodded, and they'd agreed to get coffee sometime between shifts, knowing that it would never happen. There was little or no contact between the two places, especially since most of the hospital didn't know about the hidden annex downstairs. Now it was time for more. If Regina thought Belle were dead, she wouldn't be looking in that direction. Meanwhile, he needed to work on Emma some more, maybe Henry. Full of plans, August turned his back on the world of white outside and tried to decide between writing and going to Granny's. 

Regina sat in her study with a glass of wine. Henry was upstairs, better than he had been yesterday, still sullen about her attempt to get Snow White at least suspended, and if not get him out of her classroom. His defiance had been the last straw last night, the reason she had made such a fool of herself in front of Rumplestiltskin. Fortunately the damned imp had let it slide today. He wanted something, he had implied, he just wasn't ready to make the deal. She knew him well, he wouldn't make the deal until he was good an ready, but at least now she knew he wanted something. As he always said, where two people wanted something from one another, a deal could always be reached. She wondered idly what it would cost. It didn't matter, really. She looked out into the snow. Pity about the girl, she was the best piece she could have had with the imp, but looking out at the weather, there was no way she would survive, and Regina knew he didn't have her, Sidney has sworn to that. The entire house had been searched for burglars, a move that Gold would never have allowed if he had the girl. In fact, she had searched the shop herself. Of course Rumplestiltskin expected her to do something similar, assuming she was looking for some piece of magick or other, it was hardly the first time, and her men had been up to that cabin he kept far out in the woods. Nothing there. 

With an evil smile on her face, Regina Mills looked out into the night and smiled. THe world was still hers to command.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this has been so long, but NaNoWriMo has eaten a lot of my writing time. I will still try to keep up with the story so. It lets me relax from original. Usual disclaimers apply, still without a beta.


	23. Winter Nights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Power failure and the storm getting worse, while Belle and Rumplestiltskin prepare for some time together.

Sidney Glass was drunk, and looking to get drunker, or he would have if he hadn't realized he was out of liquor. He wasn't much of a drinker, and so, hadn't been prepared that his little drinking binge would leave him too drunk to drive, and not drunk enough to forget what a complete mess he was in. How exactly had he allowed himself to get in the middle of a power play between the two of them? Why had he ever let Regina talk him into the madness of breaking into Mr. Gold's house? As if Gold would ever keep a girl in his house, any girl. He had not known the man to pay any attention to any of the women in town, or more than the usual. Glass had seen him cast an appreciative glance at Ruby as she walked through town in a short skirt, just enough to be certain he was human, alive and straight, but that was as far as it went. There had never been any rumors, he knew, he had looked. 

But Gold wouldn't take his breaking in well at all, and that was a man who didn't forgive or forget. He might have got himself out of a burglary charge but he wasn't sure he would survive. Perhaps he should just chuck it all in and leave Storybrooke. After all, what would he do, it wasn't as if Regina was going to protect him, he knew that. Oh, she would use him when she needed him, but at a time like now, she wouldn't take the slightest notice. He had once thought he loved her, he truly loved her. Unfortunately she loved no one but herself, and now, because of all that, he was going to die, or be ruined, probably both. Maybe it was time he started actually helping Emma Swan instead of spying on her? She got on well enough with Gold, maybe, if he learned something useful, she would protect him from the man. His other choice was just to walk out into the storm now. Growling against the storm outside, he went to rummage through the cupboards. He was fairly sure there was a bottle somewhere that he had gotten for Christmas one year. 

 

They ate dinner together in the kitchen. It was exactly as good as he remembered it, possibly better, but that could be the cold. "I'd have made bread, but you didn't have the ingredients," she told him. He tried to tell her she didn't need to, but it was a half hearted attempt. She kept looking at him, as if surprised by his appearance, then looking away. He wasn't sure how to take that, but then what did he know, he couldn't remember the last time he actually had dinner with a woman, at least before Belle came back. But it wasn't an uncomfortable silence, more like a familiar one. After they ate, he convinced Belle to let him help with the dishes, though she said she didn't need it. But after the day they had both had, he didn't want to leave her alone. Instead, they cleared up, and then drifted into the living room to sit in front of the fire. Belle insisted on him propping his leg up, 

Gold kept thinking he should get up, check the candles, make sure he had matches to hand and so did she, but he was comfortable in front of the fire with Belle at his side. Honestly he could have stayed there all night. Then the lights flickered once, burned brightly, and then went out. Belle, startled by the change, grabbed his arm and buried her head into his shoulder. 

"Belle? Its nothing, just the power going, too much snow on the lines. Are you alright?" he asked. She hadn't shown any signs that she was afraid of the dark, in fact both times she had hidden they have been dark places. Slowly she released her death grip on his arm, but made no move to draw away from him.

"Nothing, it just startled me. In the hospital the whole schedule was controlled by the lights, on when you were supposed to get up, off when you were supposed to go to sleep, and they were never bright enough during the day. Then at night most of them would go out, but there was I think they called it a security light, very low, that burned all the time. Really, its nothing," she said, looking up at him. 

"Well here you can have as many lights as you wish, or as few, but I suppose I should get us some light, and make sure that everything is turned off correctly. Too easy for there to be fires after something like this."

"Can I help?" she asked. Clearly she was reluctant to let go though if it was the reason she gave or another one, he didn't know. Actually he didn't particularly care either. Having her with him was a pleasure he would not give up for anything, and he would do anything that would keep her happy. She had been through so much and there was no way he was going to allow her to be upset. Rising from the settee, he found the matches in their usual place and lit the candles on the mantle piece. Then taking up one of them, though he really didn't need it that much, he walked with Belle into the kitchen. It didn't take them all that long to light the lanterns. Belle took one up to the bathroom, while he placed the other one in the kitchen, places where light was most definitely needed. Another on the landing of the stairs to prevent injury and they were pretty well set for the evening. He looked out the window as she was coming down the stairs. The entire street was out, as far as he could see, and possibly a good portion of the town, but with the snow pounding down, it was impossible to tell how far the black out extended. 

There was nothing that could be done about it anyway, not until the snow let up enough to let the plows do any good. He was certain, more so than ever, that Regina was sitting quietly in her own home enjoying the cheery thought that Belle was out in the snow freezing to death, letting her off the hook. Wouldn't she be surprised, he thought with an unpleasant smile, that quickly turned when Belle came to stand beside him at the window. 

"Its like we are the only two people in the world," she said in awe.

"Yes, but don't worry, once the snow stops, they will have the roads plowed soon enough."

"Would it be so bad?" Belle asked him, looking up. There was something in her eyes that he didn't even want to guess at, but he felt his heart thumping more heavily in his chest, and he was intensely aware of how close she was to him. 

"Being stuck with me? I am sure there are any number of people who would say you are in line for sainthood for putting up with me at all."

"Stop that," she said sharply.

"What?" he asked pretending an innocence that he didn't feel and hoping to get away from what he felt verged on dangerous territory.

"There is nothing wrong with you, and the only reason others think so is that you keep people at arms length."

"Its hard not to when most of them are your tenants, but I'm not particularly social either."

"Why not?" she asked him curiously. They were still standing in front of the darkened window, looking out at the storm swirling just beyond the window.

"Belle, I have been alone a very long time. I'm not sure I remember how to be any other way," Gold said, looking down at her. There was more he could say, could try to push her way, tell her that he didn't like people. But he knew he wouldn't.

"You've not seemed to have a difficulty with me."

"You are special," he said, and he meant it. He knew that he was probably being more like a lovestruck boy than a man who was, at least outwardly, of middle age. Worse, the conversation was somehow getting close to dangerous territory. But Belle was tugging his hand, leading him back to the settee in front of the fire, and there was nothing he could do but follow her, dropping the curtains on the darkness outside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So a little more writing done, despite NaNoWriMo. Chapter Title is taken from Tempest's Winter Night. Please enjoy, comment, and all the usual things. There should be a bit of spice in the next once, when I get some time.


	24. Harbor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belle finally asks some hard questions, and Gold has to answer.

"Richard," she said, having set him down, and then curled up next to him, her feet tucked under her, leaning towards him. He could feel himself stiffening, so very close, and so much temptation. He reminded himself of all the reasons that this was bad, not the least of which was what would happen when she got her memories back. But she was so very close, and he wanted so badly to kiss her, to pull her into his arms and forget everything else, the last almost three decades without her, the cold, the loneliness, the pain, shut it all out and lose himself in her. Instead though, he counted down to himself all the reasons why it would be wrong. If at that moment, she had used his true name, he knew he would have been lost. As it was he hung on by the claws that he no longer had and waited. 

 

"You said," she started very slowly and carefully. "You said that we were...close."

"We shouldn't be..." he started. Dangerous territory, a voice whispered, what are you doing to do when she asks?

"Why, because I can't remember?" she asked sadly. "I don't remember, but I know that I feel something for you. You are important to me. What if I never remember, will we never get any closer than this?" She placed her hand flat on his chest. He had no doubt she could feel his heart pounding away as if it were trying to tear its way out of him. Carefully, he put his hand over hers. He should send her away, he should have never even implied that they were more, but he had been flustered at the time, the second slip that had caused him trouble. A man of words, he should know better. But this was Belle, and he had sworn he would never deny her anything if it made her happy. He felt himself being torn apart.

"I would never, Belle," he said, trying to find the right words. "We were close, yes," he said finally. Truth time, or at least as little of it as he could tell. Rumplestiltskin was not a man to apologize, but he needed to, he had to find a way to explain it to her, some day, but for now...

"Tell me, what is it that is stopping you?" He could see the upset in her eyes, and before he could stop himself, he reached out and caressed her face. She leaned happily into his touch. Why couldn't it be just that easy, build something new? But no, the curse would end soon, she would remember and then...what? Would she forgive him for all that he had said and done? Or would she slam the door as she left him again. He knew which should happen, but his Belle had never done the expected thing. 

"We had a fight," he said finally. "I..I said some horrible things, I didn't mean any of them," Gold said quickly to reassure her. 

"Everyone has fights, its part of a relationship," Belle said, confused. "I forgive you."

"Belle, I said... I said that...never mind. It doesn't matter," he batted away it all. There were some things that he really couldn't explain, couldn't bring himself to say out loud, not now, not yet, possibly not ever. "What matters is, I told you to leave, to never come back. You stormed off, angry with me. I regretted it, even before the door closed behind you, I regretted it, but...I'm a proud man, and I just couldn't. I told myself it was better, you were too young, I was too old, you would never be able to..." He stopped, his hand dropped into his lap, as if he hadn't the energy to raise it. Gold knew he had said to much already.

"Never be able to what? To love you? Why on earth would you think that? Love isn't about age, or whatever it was we were fighting about. Its...complicated." She leaned forward, pressed both of her palms against his chest and looked right in his eyes. "I know, I know that I loved you, even though I don't remember, I still feel it." 

"You can't," he said, he was starting to feel tears well up in his eyes. He wasn't sure that he could remember the last time he cried, probably when Regina had told him of her death, after he had broken everything in his path, after the anger wore him out, he had cried, big hot tears. He couldn't. "I'm a monster."

"You're not a monster, don't ever say that, ever, not to me," she said sharply. "Why do you believe it?"

Gold couldn't help but smile, his beautiful Belle defending him, even against himself. He had to protect them both. "I am a difficult man to love?" he said, trying for flip, but failing in the light of her beautiful eyes. 

"I think you want to keep people away, but I'm not going anywhere. I don't care about your age or mine, or what happened before. If I get my memories back, then we will deal with it then, but for now, we will just have to move forward. Now, please finish telling me?" she said, leaning even closer. Rumplestiltskin was fighting with his own instincts. He didn't want to tell her, he wanted to pull her close, to hold and kiss her just to have this moment, but he also was certain that if he started, he wouldn't be able to stop and it would be wrong, so very wrong. The darkness urged, but if he was to keep her, to have her beside him, he had to find a balance. He was never going to be a good person, no matter what his Belle might believe. It didn't matter, soon the curse would break, and he would find Bae, after that, he would try to leave it behind, for Bae, for Belle. If he needed to crawl over broken glass naked, he would do it just to have her give him a second chance. After all, somehow he knew, now, that she had always been willing to fight for them, for their love. 

"After we fought, after you slammed out of the house, I thought you had left me for good. I thought...I thought I would see you perhaps, or hear from you...when I didn't, I thought you didn't...care for me anymore. Then, I received word that you had died. I blamed myself, who else was to blame? I couldn't keep you safe." He could feel himself, as close as he had ever felt to breaking down, no idea what to do next. Instead he looked at her. Belle was crying. He couldn't help himself, it was instinct or so he told himself. He gathered her into his arms, pulled her over to rest against him.

"I'm sorry," she said, crying softly. She fumbled for her pocket and brought out one of his handkerchiefs, the one he had given her the last time she cried. "I wish I could have come back, I don't remember, but I know I would never have done that."

"Its not your fault, never your fault, Belle. You couldn't know, you still can't know."

"Who told you I was dead?" she asked, suddenly. Pieces were coming together in her mind. "It was her, wasn't it? Regina?" Belle asked suddenly. He didn't answer, he didn't need to. Regina would get her's soon enough. Right now, he had Belle in his arms, that could all wait, everything could wait. 

"It doesn't matter," he said, carefully. "You don't have to worry about anything, ever again."

"Don't do anything to her, please Richard?" Belle said, a shrewd look in her eyes. 

"Belle, you..." he started, but his heart wasn't in it. He didn't want to discuss Regina with Belle, in fact, if the woman fell into the old quarry, he could care less. But Belle was asking him to leave her ledger unbalanced, and that wasn't in his nature. Still, he knew she wouldn't stop. Carefully, that was the ticket. "I will not do anything to actively harm her, not physically anyway," he said carefully. "But if she comes at you again, I will do everything in my power to protect you. Do you understand?" Belle's questions had managed to at least cool his ardor for the moment, but he would not allow anyone to hurt her regardless.

"If she comes after me, I will be hiding behind you, I promise, she scares me. I am not asking you to forgive her, I'm not going to forgive her, or forget, well more than I already have. But I don't want you doing anything that will get you in trouble. I couldn't stand it if I was to lose you," she said. 

It seemed a fair enough agreement to him. "Very well, but if she puts a hand on you..." There was a darkness in her eyes, and it should have frightened her, it did frighten her, except that in her heart she knew that he would never turn it on her. 

"Hiding behind you, remember? She wouldn't dare," she said, as she burrowed more firmly into his shoulder. "I know you will always keep me safe."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is short, and there is more to the scene of course, but I am a little short of writing time with NaNoWriMo and all the other sorts of life issues.


	25. In the Shape of Us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little comfort between Mr. Gold and Belle, in snow bound Storybrooke.

Gold knew he could have easily stayed that way for the rest of the night, if not the rest of the year. Belle settled so comfortably in his arms, her head tucked beneath his chin, face burrowed in his sweater. He felt...content. It wasn't as much as he would like, he admitted that. He was a man like any other, regardless of how much he tried to deny it, even to himself. Regardless of how ruthlessly he had suppressed his desires, still he had them, buried deep down with guilt and shame for even thinking of her in that way. The love she had for him, it surely couldn't extend to his form, then or now. He had been a monster before, showing what he truly was for all to see. Now, he had the same unlovely form that his wife had despised, the twisted leg a relic of how far he was willing to go for his son. She had despised him for that too. But Belle, she didn't seem to notice or to care. Trying to drag his thoughts away from that dark place, he looked down, wondering if she had fallen asleep in his arms, and if she had, what he was going to do about it, he would love to have the strength to simply carry her up to her bed, but his leg was sure to object, and tomorrow he would pay for it, not to mention the price he would pay now if it collapsed under them. 

"Belle," he whispered softly. The room was getting a little bit chilly, and while it wasn't very late, with no power and the storm raging outside, it seemed later. Besides, it had been a very...eventful day, too many trips up and down those blasted stairs. 

He turned his wrist and was surprised to find that it was only 9:00. Still it would be best if he got the fire started upstairs, to keep the bedroom warm. The house was well insulated, he had seen to that long ago, along with the double glazing. He might like to leave his house looking as if it had come out of the past, but he wasn't going to sacrifice his comfort for it. Gold reached down and stroked Belle's cheek and found himself surprised and pleased when she leaned into his touch with a soft sigh. He bit the inside of his mouth; this was not getting any easier, he thought. "Sorry, did I doze off?" Belle said. 

"Apparently. I hope you don't find my company so boring," he said. She turned towards him so quickly he had to tighten his grip, afraid she would fall off the settee. 

"Not at all..." she started before seeing the look in his face. "You were teasing me." Belle's beautiful blue eyes narrowed and she smacked him playfully on the shoulder. Pure pleasure, that was the feeling. That Belle was comfortable enough to play with him, to touch him willingly, even in jest, was a joy he didn't expect so soon. She had been so frightened, but her old personality, if not her memory, was coming back, no longer a trickle, but a flood. How long, he wondered, could he hold out before he had to do something about it?

"A poor jest, perhaps," he said as he smiled at him. 

"Then perhaps you don't spend enough time at it; you've forgotten how." Gods, how well this woman knew him even though she knew him not at all. 

"I'm afraid I've forgotten many things," he told her, trying to shrug it off. He had remembered the trappings of being human, once the curse was enacted, but without Belle, he had difficulty remembering how to be human on the inside. But now, with her, he felt too human, too vulnerable, and too afraid he would ruin everything.

"Well, I've forgotten everything," Belle said with that smile, the one that had won his cold, black heart so long ago. "So perhaps we can help each other remember?" She phrased it as a question, but he knew she'd not give up, his strong, stubborn Belle. She'd not be content with a few memories or a few questions. She would have the lot, come what may. Rumplestiltskin had always been good at getting his way, but with Belle, he was putty. He'd made his mistake, and he learned from it. Looking into her eyes, he nodded his assent. 

As soon as she had his agreement, she seemed to notice everything else. The fire was dying down in the grate, and the temperature was dropping. She wrapped her arms around herself and leaned closer to him for warmth, but only for a moment, before she pulled away with an apology. It was almost more than he could do to prevent himself from reaching out at the loss, to pull her back to him. The agony that he would feel later, the memory of her soft body against him would haunt him, but right now he didn't care. "There is no need..." he said, even though he had been thinking about the need recently. 

"There is, you should have moved me earlier, I was probably putting your leg to sleep," she said. He failed to comments; no thought came to mind that wouldn't come out the right way. "It's getting cold," she said, wrapping her arms around herself and pulling her sweater closer.

"Why don't you go and put on something warmer? I should go start a fire in my bedroom. There is no fire in your bedroom," he said awkwardly. "You may have mine." Gold knew she would never hear of it, both because she would not drive him out of his own bed, and because of her own nightmares.

"And where exactly are you planning on sleeping?" she asked him sharply.

"I can make myself comfortable here, or perhaps the..." He got no further. 

"No!"

"Belle, it's not appropriate, what about..." Gold knew he was fighting a losing battle. He had honestly never given a rat's arse for propriety, but even the suggestion that he might take advantage of Belle made him squirm. 

"What about it? No one knows I am here, and if they did, do you really think anyone would care about the two of us sharing a bed in the midst of a blizzard? And what about my nightmares? Can you leave me alone to fight them, or will you drag yourself to wake me and pay the price tomorrow in pain? I will not believe that you are some kind of monster, and I will not have you make yourself a martyr." Her blue eyes were burning like arc lights. How well she knew him. She was right, of course. Even if anyone knew she was here, there would be nothing in it, or not more than there was without the idea of her sharing his house. Half the town was probably sleeping the whole family to one bed, huddling against the cold in front of fires, or with hot water bottles or camping heaters. Still, didn't she know what she was doing to him? 

"I..." he started, but he knew she was not going to be persuaded now, and probably not later. "I'd best get the fire going then," he said, not admitting defeat exactly. Perhaps he could convince her to let him sleep in the chair, or remove himself once she was asleep, anything to keep temptation as far away as possible. She pulled herself up a little unsteadily and stretched while he tried to look at anything else and focus on how much colder it was without her pressed against him. "Why don't you get yourself ready? There will still be hot water; it's on the gas."

"Where are the extra blankets?" she said. "I'll get them on the bed and then get myself sorted." Bowing to the inevitable, he gave her directions to the linen closet and then, rising slowly, as if he was going to his execution or possibly his damnation (he wasn't sure which), he began to bank the fire and put out the candles. Everything secure, he picked up the oil lamp to take with him upstairs. While he preferred candles, the lamps were safer for the night. 

Mr. Gold looked out the front window. The world was white. He could see nothing at all through the snow, especially with no street lights. He wondered if the plows were out, or if they had decided to wait til it slowed a bit. Rumplestiltskin found he couldn't care less. If he was damned, then damned he was, but Belle wanted him here with her, and nothing mattered beyond that. 

When he made it to the second floor and entered his room, it was to find the bed piled with two spare duvets and a quilt, extra pillows against the headboard, and no Belle. The bathroom door was closed though, so he assumed she was changing. Rather than dwell on that image, he very carefully lowered himself before the fireplace and began setting the fire.

When he had it going well, he leaned back and rose slowly. He thought about changing, but more clothes were perhaps better in this situation, or at least felt safer. Deciding he would just wash up, Gold was just sitting down when Belle came into the room carrying a tray with a candle and a pot of tea on it. She was wrapped in his bathrobe, and he remembered that Ruby had failed to find one for her, and honestly he didn't care. It was certainly more beautiful on her than anything would ever be on him. "Tea, so late my dear?" he asked. She smiled just a little as she motioned for him to make room on the table next to the chair.

"Tea and whiskey," she said, pointing to the small decanter that he had not seen behind the pot. "Good for cold nights, or so..." she paused. He could see it, that look that told him that something had just occurred to her, perhaps it a memory. But he didn't push and after a moment she let it go, though he could see the hope and disappointment that went through her at once. "I think someone said that to me once, my...father?" 

"Don't worry about it, sweetheart," he said, taking the tray from her. "Bits of your memory are starting to coming back to you already."

"Yes, I just wish they would come back faster," she said, biting her lip. Then she turned thoughtfully to preparing their cups for them. 

Rumplestiltskin remembered it clearly, of course. She had gone out into the gardens looking for something or another. It had been a cold day, but the sudden blizzard had been a shock, rather like this one; late in the year, and with all the intensity of the last storm of the season. He'd been working in his tower and not noticed until she'd not been at the table with the tea. At first he assumed she was either late or had gotten distracted in the library, until his magic reached out and he realized she was not in the castle. It took moments to find her and get her back; she'd gotten lost in the garden and hadn't been able to find her way back. He'd dried them both, but she was shivering. He'd brought her tea with a bit of a strong spirit that he kept for his own use, though a drop or two wouldn't hurt her. She had made the same comment then, that her father had always told her tea and spirits would prevent a chill on a night like this.

Gold wasn't exactly sure if her memory was being triggered by the curse breaking, or the fact that it wasn't designed for what had been done to Belle. If he had known that it was a possibility he would have built in a fail safe. Of course, if he had known that Belle was alive, he would have done a lot of things differently, but that was in the past. For now, she had told him to get himself sorted while she fixed the tea, and he dragged himself off to the bathroom. He had decided, reluctantly, that the silk of his pajamas was probably warmer than the old trousers he was wearing. Silk was a good insulator, though he rather wished for old fashioned wool at the moment. He pulled an undershirt on, then the sweater, and his old socks, and, wrapping a robe about him, returned to Belle. 

She made him sit down, having drawn the chair closer to the fire and a footstool placed for his leg. Leave it to Belle, he thought. She knew how much more strain he had put on it today, and as soon as he settled down, she added a wrapped hot water bottle to his twisted limb. she handing him a cup of tea with a healthy measure of his second best scotch and settled down at his feet. 

"Belle, are you sure you are...comfortable," he asked cautiously. He wanted to move her, it just wasn't right for her to sit there like that. "We could drag another chair in, from one of the other rooms." 

"No need, I'm comfortable, I have a pillow, besides, its nice and warm," she told him. She had a cup in her hand and her head leaning against his knee. He didn't have the heart or the energy to argue with her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title based on a song by Ian Britt. Please enjoy, read and comment and all the usual rot. Thanks to my new beta, Lauren.


	26. Winter Sky

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The town of Storybrooke digs out from the blizzard. But not everyone is happy.

The sound of a rumbling growl outside woke Rumplestiltskin very early in the morning, or at least he assumed it was morning. The light was the sort of grey/white that blizzards produced. Part of him, the part that was more or less subject to the curse. identified the sound, snow plow going down the street out front. Still half asleep, not actually a normal feeling for him, he started trying to put the pieces together. He was very warm, and very comfortable, the room was warm, the bed covered in blankets, the fire banked but still giving out a bit of heat, but not alone under the sheets. The realization that Belle was not only in the bed with him but tucked most carefully against him made him wake up instantly. Part of him wanted to pull away, far away. The rest of him wanted nothing more than to enjoy the position as long as he could. The second part won out, since really he never wanted to be parted from her ever, and right now she was comfortable and untroubled by nightmares.

He watched her, wishing to all the gods that he had stopped believing in when he had got his power that he knew what to do. Belle was pushing the boundaries of their relationship, whatever it was. Right now, he should be nothing more than her protector, keeping her safe until the curse broke and her memory came back. Then she could decide what she wanted. Regardless of what he told himself, he knew he would give her as much or as little as she desired. But what did Belle know of love? Of course, Rumplestiltskin himself was no expert. He had thought himself in love three times, but he knew only one of those three who actually loved him in return, and she was sleeping with her head pillowed against his chest. 

There was more to it as well, though. What if she wanted a physical relationship? Certainly she had never shied away from his touch, quite the contrary. But he was not a young man by anyone's standards, and he had never been handsome. His wife had been more than clear about his failings and a husband and man. Belle was young and beautiful and she deserved a man that could take proper care of her. It doesn't matter, he told himself. Just take what you have now; treasure it. The future will take care of itself. 

At that moment, the object of his tumbled thoughts chose to turn in his arms, pressing her entire body against him like a cat seeking attention. If she doesn't kill me first, he thought, trying to keep control of his thoughts, not to mention the stirrings in his body that he knew were wrong. 

Nothing wrong with it, she is a beautiful woman pressed up against you; you are old, not dead, and you know she loves you. Perfectly natural, added the voice that he kept mostly walled up in a disused cupboard in the back of his mind. Mentally he slammed the door. The Dark One was a part of him, the memories that remained integrated into his, actions rarely distinguishable, but there were still differences, bits from past lives that he refused to allow a place; not here, certainly not now, not with Belle. It was listening to those dark voices and his own cowardice and self loathing that had led to his rejection of her before. He was many things, including coward and fool, but he'd be damned if he made the same mistake twice. 

"Hhhhhhmmmmmm," the soft sound whispered, almost more felt than heard against his chest. Belle was waking up. He tried to let go, to release the hold he had on her. In her half awake state though, she only gripped him tighter, wrapping more closely around him. "Rum...Richard," she said, groggily. "Warm," she whispered groggily. 

"Yes, love," he whispered almost laughing in happiness. "I will keep you warm." The rest of it, the worry, the questions, all that could wait for later. 

From under the cascade of brunette hair, Belle emerged, blinking vaguely in the dim light of the bedroom. He wondered for just a moment if he had read the signs wrong. What would she think when she woke up wrapped around him? Would she be angry, embarrassed? What was happening in her head? And was that a slip earlier, something from her memory, that she had almost said his true name, or just a breath? Seconds later he got his answer. She looked up and smiled at him. 

"Told you, better than the chair," she said.

"Perhaps," he teased. "Just a little." 

"More than a little; you would be stiff as a board if you'd slept in that chair and you know it. Not to mention what would have happened if you had fallen off."

"I'm not so old yet, that I cannot get up when I have fallen," he said a little more gruffly than he meant. Things were pleasant; he need not be reminded of the age difference between them, not now. 

"No you aren't, but you could have injured yourself. I don't want you to get hurt." There was such sincerity in her words that he couldn't doubt them for a moment. He should have known better really. Belle was the last one to set barbs with her tongue. She said what she meant, straight forward; that had not changed. 

"Nor I you," he told her. "Which means that as comfortable as we are, I should get up and tend the fires. I heard the plow go, but..." he paused as he reached from underneath the warm blankets to switch on the lamp on his table. Nothing happened. "It appears the power is still out. You stay there, and keep warm." Gold reluctantly pulled himself from her and out from beneath the covers, trying his best not to let the cool air into Belle's cocoon. 

"I can help," she said, starting to sit up. "I..."

"No, Belle, let me get the fire built up, then you can get up. I don't want you getting chilled," he said abruptly. He limped to the window, looking out to see what the storm had wrought. The world appeared to have gone completely white. The snow was still coming down, though slowly, as if it had mostly blown itself out and was only now dropping the last flakes. Still, it had managed to do quite enough over night. Even before the plows began to push aside mounds of snow, his driveway was completely blocked, and while he couldn't see the car from the window anyway, he was fairly certain that it was buried. The front fence was actually missing from view, as was the walkway. This was going to take some digging out. With luck, the power would be back before he had to get more wood, he thought. The log store was in the shelter of the house, but that didn't mean that it wouldn't be fairly long and painful work to get wood in. Unfortunately he wasn't sure that Dove could actually get out of his own house on the other side of town and at a lower elevation, to dig them out. Saturday hours; he would be lucky if he needed to concern himself with Monday hours, and he said as much to Belle. 

"Oh, I must see," she said, slipping from the bed to find her way between him and the window. "It's beautiful, and I am afraid that I can't be sorry about you having to stay home." She gave him smile, and then leaned against him to look back at the white world. There was no one on the street, thought Gold though perhaps he should pull her away from the window. Still it was early, there was no power on the street, (or actually anywhere it town, at least he couldn't see any street lights on in the very white morning light) and she had not had any chance to really look out. For the moment it should be safe. Besides, he was quite comfortable with her leaning back against him. Then she shivered just a little and the mood was broken. 

"Back in the bed with you," he ordered gently. "What did I say?" 

"And what about you? Aren't you just as like to take a chill as I am?" she said, but he could see the stubbornness starting to set in. "I can build a fire as well, and you said that the stove was on the gas, so we can have tea, and food."

"Belle," he tried, but she was already pulling the gold robe around herself and the fuzzy slippers over the socks he had given her, which he noted with not a little delight, she had kept. He should have known better, he though; really when had she ever not made her own decisions, no matter how uncomfortable? "Very well, but I will attend the fires." She nodded her agreement before picking up the tea tray from last night, and taking herself off to the kitchen, carefully closing the door behind her to preserve the warmth of the room. 

By noon, all of Storybrooke had started to dig out from under what they were already calling the biggest blizzard in the last forty years. The plows were prowling, slowly widening the narrow valleys they had cut through walls of snow, while school children (once they could get out of their homes) were complaining about the uselessness of a blizzard on a weekend when the clean up would probably mean they had to go back to school on Monday. The Nuns, once they were freed from their convent, dug into their supplies in a brilliant flash of inspiration and dragged traditional Miner's Day candles up to Granny's diner, which had a generator. Leroy had taken one look at the clumsy sister Astrid, and volunteered to take her around in one of the plow fitted trucks to allow them to sell candles, which people realized quickly were going to be important, as they turned on weather radios. The chances of getting the power on dwindled in the face of reports from all over the region that most of the small towns near them were also out of electricity, and the power crews stretched far too thin.

The Mother Superior smiled and offered a silent prayer. Astrid was a good girl but clumsy, and not just physically They had far too many candles this year, and she had despaired of how they were going to manage the payments on the convent. Mr. Gold was not one to offer extensions, especially to them. She wasn't sure exactly why, but for some reason the man had what amounted to an irrational hatred of nuns. Sometimes she wondered if he had been raised Catholic. He was a Scot; though not common, it was possibly. Certainly somewhere in his life he had acquired a dislike of them which no persistent pleasantness to him could break through. Maybe she just need to pray harder for him, she thought. 

David Nolan, having been relieved from his night on the cot at the back of the animal shelter, followed Leroy and the plow back downtown, where he helped in rescue of Sheriff Swan and Mary Margaret, followed by Archie Hopper and Pongo. Most times storms blew in from the harbor. sheltering the shops on Main St. that faced away from it. Since these were also the shops that had apartments on the upper floors, it meant that the stairways leading to them were protected as well. But this storm had taken a turn, burying the front entrances of pretty much all of the shops on the east side of the street, and also the doors that led to the apartments. Granny's, in better shape because the entrance being above sidewalk level and also having a generator to keep the kitchen running, did a brisk business in coffee, tea, and cocoa, not to mention those candles. The widow Lucas, canny as ever a business woman, realized that a large portion of town would be wanting hot food and made up a limited storm special menu of things she had on hand and could cook quickly. As people dug out or got dug out, business was so busy that she roped Mary Margaret into helping. The school teacher could manage the register and keep the coffee going. At the moment, the whole town seemed to be pitching in.

Out on the road, Sheriff Emma Swan deputized David Nolan (or more accurately commandeered his truck with him in it) and they started to drive, heading first out to the town sign and working their way back, making sure no one was stuck in their cars, or wrecked in the snow. "Regina would just love to say I am neglecting my job during an emergency," she told him as they drove slowly, looking for buried cars and keeping an eye out for trouble. "And let's face it, we might find the patrol car tomorrow, but I think my bug is out of action for a while."

"At least you know where it is?" David said with a smile. 

Gus, the regular tow truck driver, had volunteered to start at the other end of town, and been issued a radio. In the spirit of cooperation, Archie Hopper had volunteered to sit in the sheriff's station, which had minimal power from a tiny generator that they dared not push by putting the heat on, bundled in an over coat, with Pongo at his feet, (also wearing an over coat), watching the radio. 

Regina was irritated. It wasn't a particularly unusual feeling for her, but with the snow outside, she couldn't go take it out on anyone. Henry had eaten the breakfast she had cooked before begging to go and play in the snow. She had wanted badly to say no, but she had started recently to realize that the harder she held on to him, the more he would hate her. Her mother had been the same, and she had hated her. So the mayor had sent him out to play, even though it burned her to allow it. The phones where down as well as the electrics, so Regina couldn't even call anyone to come around and dig the house out. Instead she was stuck waiting just like everyone else. The thought burned. Settling in front of the fireplace with a cup of coffee, she decided to spend her time trying to figure out exactly what it was that Rumplestiltskin wanted; if she could figure it out first, maybe she could get the better of him. It was easy to forget that no one ever got did, when he wasn't standing in front of her with that knowing smirk on his face. But she wouldn't forget that he had shamed her, rejected her. Even though she didn't mean it, or at least she told herself that she hadn't, how dare he reject her!? Curled up in front of the fire, it was much easier to repaint the scene as one in which the fault was entirely his. 

Sidney Glass woke cold, sick, and after a little though, possibly still a little drunk, in front of the mostly dead fire in his living room. That realization was followed almost immediately by his stumbling to the bathroom, feeling grateful that he had at least waited until he woke up to be violently ill. He realized how dangerous his behavior had been last night; getting drunk alone in a blizzard was a good way to end his life by accident, and while he wasn't sure that his life wasn't over, he was pretty definite that he wanted to make his own decisions, and sober at that. Feeling shaky, he made his way back to the living room and carefully got the fire going again, grateful also that he hadn't burned the place down the night before. He wasn't a big fan of the cold. Unfortunately he had an electric stove. He did remember from last night that the electric was out. Grumbling in pain, he swallowed a couple of aspirin, rinsed his mouth (why did it taste like the back dumpster of the Rabbit Hole smelled?), and pulled on some warm clothes. It was going to take work but he was pretty sure that Granny's would be open. Once he had warm food, he would be able to think clearly; then he could make his next move. Sidney just wished to God he knew what that move was.

"I should stop and check on the house," David said. "Katherine told me she was leaving town early yesterday. I hope she got somewhere safe before the storm really hit, or that she didn't go."

"You okay?" Emma asked him. She knew enough from Mary Margaret to know that the situation had been all kinds of awkward. 

"Yeah, I think we both knew it was over and had been since, well, since before I had my accident. I just...it's like I almost remember how I felt about her; but I don't feel that way, it's like it's not my feelings? I don't know, it doesn't make a lot of sense."

"But you do feel that way about Mary Margaret?" She had to ask. The teacher was her friend, and she didn't want her to get hurt more than she already had.

"Yeah, I know it seems strange; its been such a short time but, I really do." Emma just nodded as they made their way slowly along the street. 

Outside the Nolan house, they found Katherine standing on the porch bundled up talking and laughing with a blonde man who was digging his way from the front of the house to the street.  
"Katherine," David said. He was a little stunned. She looked...happy, the way he felt when he saw Mary Margaret. "Thought you were leaving? I thought that I ought to stop and make sure the house was okay for you."

"I was," she said, blushing a little though it could have just been the cold air. "Didn't even make it out of the driveway. The car just...actually I don't know what it did, but there was a lot of smoke."

"Oh, that makes sense," he said, a little dumbfounded, but then he had recognized the blond guy after he had turned around. "Hey Jim, you on the job then?" he said as the two men shook hands. 

"It's going to be longer now, I got the parts ordered though. I'm afraid I told her two day...not seeing it now." 

"Hi, Emma Swan, Sheriff," she said, introducing herself since she was feeling left out. 

"Yeah, seen you around, you have that sweet bug. Great car, if you need her fixed up..."

"Thanks, you're the mechanic then?"

"Mechanic, gas pumper, tow truck driver on alternate Fridays so Gus can have the day off...my father owns the shop."

"Ah, got it. Let me guess; brought Katherine home, got stuck. Thank you, and I mean that sincerely. After living in Boston, finding people who are actually smart enough to stay home and not drive in bad weather is amazing."

"Yeah," he said, seeming not the least bit embarrassed. Actually after her initial reaction, Katherine seemed pretty comfortable. Looks like she had found her special someone too. Emma could hear Henry's voice in the back of her head, whispering something about true love, and Katherine having found hers as well, but she ignored it, tuning back in as David explained to Jim that he was fine where he was; that Gus had the tow truck out to help. 

"That's good, Jim volunteered to help me get Mrs. Hubbard dug out. You know she doesn't get around very well anymore. Would you guys like a thermos of coffee for the road? I just made a new pot. Never been so glad we didn't change to an electric stove..."

"You say that every time there's a storm," David said, and looking at them, Emma thought things were going to be okay. Out loud she just said thanks for the coffee and waited while Katherine filled a thermos for them, while David discussed with Jim trying to get some more volunteers to get around and help the older people dig out. 

They continued on checking on houses, making sure no one was about to give themselves a coronary while shoveling. They found Henry with a group of other kids of various ages, shoveling the snow outside the Mayor's house. "Hey Emma, Mr. Nolan, guess what? We are getting paid for playing in the snow, isn't it awesome?" 

"Yeah, it is, kiddo. How did that happen?"

"Well, Nick and Ava wanted to earn some money because their Dad's birthday is coming up and they want to surprise him. Then Ava said, if we all got together and got more kids, then we could get more houses done, and we could all split the money. She's really smart that way. So she told Paige, and she told me. It's a lot of fun. We have already done three sidewalks, and dug two driveways out. My mom is getting us to do both, and Mrs. Fredricks gave us cocoa after we got her driveway clear. It's pretty awesome."

"Alright, well you be careful and don't overdo it," she told him. It seemed to be a good and safe way for the kid to occupy himself and it meant he was spending time with other kids, which was something she worried about.

"I won't. We are thinking about asking Mr. Gold when we finish here, but I think they are all afraid of him," he said, nodding over his shoulder. "But he has a lot of money, and shoveling snow might be hard with, you know..." He mimed Gold's careful walk.

"Tell you what kid, we're going past there. If he doesn't have anyone out shoveling, I'll get back to you. You guys'll probably have more than enough for today and tomorrow though." 

"Thanks Emma," he said, hugging her as one of the other kids called him back to work. In the window of the house, she could see Regina, glaring out at her.

"Are you really going to ask Mr.. Gold if the kids can shovel his driveway?" David Nolan asked her.

"Sure, why not? I mean, I figure he already has someone out doing it anyway. I was a little surprised not to see him down at his shop. Have you ever noticed that no one calls him anything but Mr. Gold? Its like he doesn't have a first name or not one that anyone knows?" she said, looking out the window.

"Never thought about it. I mean he's not exactly the man to encourage familiarity. As to the shop, I don't think he's planning on opening today. Between you and me, I dropped him off last night before the storm hit, he seemed to be walking a little...well, slower than usual. I'm betting the weather isn't kind to that leg of his."

"Makes sense, so I sort of have to check in on him anyway. You're probably right about the leg, thought. But think about this with me. Regina calls him Mr. Gold. Regina doesn't really respect anyone's authority but her own. Doesn't it seem strange that she doesn't use his first name?"

"It does a little but at the same time, they aren't exactly friends. I'm not sure what they are, actually. Sometimes they seem to be, but Gold backed you against Sidney for Mayor. I tell you what though, she was in the shop yesterday when I went by, actually she was there both times, and seemed pretty anxious about something. It was weird behavior even for her," he said, trying to put into words the strange feeling he had gotten in the shop yesterday. 

"What were you doing in there? Since when are you friendly with the guy?" Emma asked, as they pulled to a very slow stop at the corner. Much to the sheriffs delight, the few people out driving were all going very slowly, and very carefully. 

"The first time, you sent me," he reminded her. "But I thought about it, wanted to get something for Mary Margaret, something to make up for all the problems. I mean, if I had been upfront with Katherine right from the beginning, but I was too confused, and...well, it got out of hand. Say what you want for Gold, he has great stuff in there."

"Yeah, have you noticed something in there that, well looks like something you lost before?" she asked, trying to put into words that feeling that she always got in the dusty shop.

"Not really, but I've lived in Storybrooke my whole life, so its entirely possible that if I recognize something, it was mine." Emma just nodded, trying to put her finger on what gave her that feeling. "Think we should start back towards Cherry," David said, looking out at the corner. "We can check on Mrs. Barrie, she's a widow and doesn't get around very well anymore. She's across from Gold and two doors down, you can ask him about the kids. Actually Mrs. Barrie can probably use them as well. There are a lot more old people on this side, the older houses. In fact, except for Gold, and the woman who lives next to him, can't think of her name but she adopted a dog from the shelter, I think most of the people down the street are older."

"Gold's not older?" she asked jokingly. 

"Who can tell? I can't remember him ever looking a day older or younger, but he has that kind of face. He's what maybe late forties, early fifties?" he shrugged as he made a careful turn. 

"Don't ask me, and I'm usually good with ages. Something is nagging at me. You said Regina was at Gold's both times you went in there?"

"Yeah, the first time she offered to lock up for him, when I told him about the break in."

"And he let her?" 

"Well, he didn't look thrilled about it. But he did have this kind of funny look, like he knew she was up to something but it didn't matter." David was thinking about the encounters now seriously. There had been kind of an undercurrent in the room between the two of them, and not a good one.

"And the second time?"

"Now that you mention it, that was just plain weird. Gold looked like he was actually glad to see me, like whatever it was Regina was talking about was...I'm not sure, like he was irritated but didn't want to just tell her to leave. She took one look at me, though and just left."

"Hmmmm," was all Emma said, as she found herself trying to put together a bunch of pieces that didn't fit. She wondered if Regina was responsible for the break in at Gold's and if so, how had she managed to convinced Sidney to do it. She knew that the reporter was not fond of the pawnbroker, though she didn't know the details.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Winter Sky, yet another chapter title from a song, this time by Big Country. This is a nice long post, sorry things have been slow, but the month is almost over. Please enjoy, comment, you know the drill. Many thanks to the beta, Lauren. Also, for the record I sometimes take prompts but do not do tumblr. Thanks.


	27. Four strong walls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gold and Belle struggle with overprotection, control issues, and snow.

Mr. Gold was frustrated. He and Belle were having their first...disagreement. Which, he admitted, was much better than fighting. His wife had been keen on fighting (of course, she frequently started it) but he and Belle had only ever had the one fight. Well, if he were honest with himself, actually he had been having that fight with himself; she had been the catalyst though and he had been horrible to her. It had also led to one of the two worst mistakes of his life, and he was desperately afraid he would do something that foolish again, if he weren't careful.

When he had finished tending the fires in bedroom and lounge, carefully making sure the screens were in place so that there would be no danger of fire. He had made his way to the kitchen. Belle had mostly closed the door to preserve the warmth from the stove. He found her looking critically at the contents of the refrigerator, the apron already tied neatly over his robe, overlong sleeves rolled up. Gold couldn't help but smile. After all the time he had been without her, having Belle in his kitchen was like the answer to prayers he didn't even acknowledge that he offered. If he never had more than this, he would content himself, or so he tried to convince his heart. Having even the smallest part of her was more than he had hoped for only a few days ago. He was purposely trying not to think about what she had said last night, or the feeling of her in his arms this morning. Keeping the separation, waiting for her memory to come back (or the curse to break) was getting harder every moment he spent with her, but there was nothing for it.

"What would you like for breakfast?" she asked him, turning to smile as she heard the tap of his cane on the floor. 

"You don't have to cook for me; you know that," he said, trying for gentle, knowing that he wasn't going to make any headway with his stubborn love, but feeling it needed to be said.

"You don't have to take care of me, but you do," she told him. "I enjoy it, so let's not discuss this again." He didn't expect to win, but he bowed his head in teasing submission. 

"Whatever you feel like making will be fine with me. Meanwhile..." He opened a cupboard and pulled out a battery operated radio and a set of fresh batteries, setting them on the table before settling himself down to find out what was going on in the rest of the world. The news wasn't particularly good, nor particularly bad. He was very glad that he had the fireplaces and the gas, as it was going to take time to get the electrics back, but he honestly couldn't think of anything better than being snowed in with Belle. Would it be painful? Absolutely, but it was such a welcome pain after the emptiness of her absence. But it meant that there was work to be done, including getting more wood in from outside. They said the snow was most likely gone but that the front hadn't moved far, so he thought it best to make plans accordingly. His leg was aching a little in that way that it did when the weather was bad but there was nothing to be done for it. As soon as he had brunch with his love, then he would get to work. 

It wasn't until after their meal that the 'disagreement' started. Belle had started to clean up the kitchen, declining his offer to help, so he went to change into outdoor clothing. When he returned layered in long underwear, heavy trousers, and several layers under his sweater, she had finished the dishes and was just taking off his apron. "I'll get changed and help," she said, hurrying from the room. He knew there was no way he was going to let her help him with the heavy work, especially when she shouldn't be outside at all, but she was already out the door and heading upstairs. Instead, he pulled out the work boots and got them on, found his heavy gloves, and adjusted a scarf before putting on the heavy coat that he used for this kind of work. 

He had checked the front door on his way down; the porch and the direction of the wind had left it fairly clear of snow, though the steps should be swept and he was wondering if he had enough Ice Melt for the job at hand. The back door hadn't faired as well; being on the side it wasn't as buried as it could have been, but it was still going to be a chore. He growled as he opened the door and the snow fell into the kitchen. 

"I'm ready," Belle said, coming in behind him as he was looking in annoyance at the pile of snow now on the kitchen floor. He turned. Belle had put on the heaviest of the dresses he had brought home for her, her pajama pants underneath and the sweater he had been wearing last night pulled over the whole outfit. Over one arm she was carrying an old car coat that he had banished the to the back of his closet as too ugly for words (it had been here when he woke up, probably another of Regina's little unfunny jokes), his heavy socks were on her feet along with her fuzzy slippers. "I borrowed a couple of things," she said, a little shyly, and it was hard not to just give in to whatever she wanted. "I hope...I hope you don't mind."

"I...no, you are more than welcome to anything," he found himself saying, struggling with the words. "But what do you think you are doing?"

"I'm going to help you clear the snow. You don't think you can do it all yourself? There is too much, and you said yourself that it's going to be at least another day before we have electrics, so we will need more wood...and..."

He stopped her there. "You can't help me, Belle; you have no shoes, and even if you did, what if someone saw you? I can't risk it, love. Why don't you just stay inside and keep warm? You can fix some tea for me though." The minute the words left his mouth, he knew he had screwed it up, badly. Belle was looking at him mutinously, and he realised belatedly exactly how condescending his words had sounded. It had been so long since another's feelings mattered to him though. 

"You think all I am good for is making your tea?" she asked, eyes narrowed. 

"No, of course I don't," he said, wishing he could just take back the words. Arguing with Belle was the last thing he wanted; it terrified him in a way he wasn't sure he could put into words. But his dismissive tone clearly hadn't made it better the way he thought it would. "But you have no shoes," he said practically. 

"You have another pair of wellies in the boot cupboard there," she said pointing to the cupboard he had taken his working clothes out of. "Richard, I'm not a child; you can't just expect me to stay inside and let you do all the work. Really, would you have done this before?"

"I will always do what is necessary to see to your safety," he said without thinking about it.

"Was this why we fought before, because you were trying to 'protect' me? Don't you think I can make my own decisions?" Her anger was out of proportion with the situation, or at least he thought it was, but he couldn't judge for himself. He had gone from irritation to bone deep terror when her voice rose. Was he really being overprotective? Absolutely. He knew it, but she was also wrong. There had to be a way to stop this.

"Not exactly," he said after a moment, his voice almost a whisper. "I told you I was difficult; I suppose I still am. But Belle, really I am worried. I've just got you back, and the thought of losing you terrifies me." Rumplestiltskin looked in her eyes, begging for understanding. It was hard to admit, and harder to wait for her to respond. After a moment he looked down, unwilling to see the rejection he expected. Then the hand on his chin, cupping his cheek and bringing his eyes up to meet hers. 

"I know you are. But I can't just sit still while you work yourself into exhaustion, and I think you know that."

"I was perhaps a bit...abrupt?" he said. Belle was smiling at him, he wasn't sure what he had done, except tell her the truth. 

"More than that, but for now, the snow is melting on the floor, and its not getting any warmer," she said. He had barely noticed, so focused on her. Now he started planning. Belle was not one to be bundled into cotton wool, he knew that and felt a fool for trying. Instead he asked her gently to confine herself to inside tasks. 

"But..."

"Belle, really, allow me to be at least a little protective. There is plenty you can do to help without shoveling snow." She was reluctant, but allowed him to outline the tasks he thought would be safe enough for her, before disagreeing with him and with a little peaceful wrangling they came to an accord. She could see that he was still a little unsettled and she wondered about their long ago argument and how long it would be before they could disagree without fear. She realised she had probably overreacted, but he had sounded so...controlling, reminding her for a moment of the hospital where every single thing had been decided for her. But she would tell him about that later, possibly when they were settled in front of the fireplace, with food. 

Belle turned to cleaning up the snow that had come in, laying newspapers down all over the floor to allow him to bring wood in without getting the floor completely wet. He had stoutly refused to budge on anything that involved her even setting foot outside the back door, asserting that his spare wellies didn't have the necessary traction even if they hadn't been at least two sizes too big. He did gave in on her helping him move the wood, or at least he agreed he would let her help as soon as he cleared the path to the log store and got them to the house. 

He had almost finished clearing the side when he saw Belle frantically waving to him from the door, trying to draw his attention. Gold moved quicklyy back down the path he had cleared to see what had her distressed.

"There is someone at the door," she said urgently. 

"Stay here," he said, dragging himself tiredly through the house to the front door. Clearing snow didn't allow him to use his cane and his leg was aching where it wasn't numb from the cold. He peered out the front glass to find the sheriff and David Nolan, clearly having practically swam to the front door, though the porch was fairly clear. 

"Sheriff, Mr. Nolan. Sorry, I didn't hear you; I was getting wood for the fire. To what do I owe this visit?" he was trying for pleasant, which would have been easier if he wasn't tired and chilled. 

"Just checking on people, making sure everyone is safe. Haven't you started digging out?"

"I have, actually, but from the back, not the front. I'm afraid it is a slower task for me, and the person who usually attends to these things is probably as buried as I am."

"Well, we are just checking people, making sure everyone's safe. But if you are interested, Henry and some of the other kids are going around clearing driveways and sidewalks, I can send them over this way," the sheriff said, trying to be casual. 

"Drumming up business for your son, Sheriff? Surely not," he said with a smirk.

"Not exactly; I was planning to stop by anyway, and Henry said the other kids were scared to ask you." It was a honest answer, and he appreciated it. Actually, the thought of paying the neighbourhood urchins to clear his sidewalk was not something he would have considered necessarily, but he knew that he wasn't going to get much further than he planned already. Besides, he genuinely liked Henry, and the boy was definitely a part of the puzzle that was going to be the end of the curse. Perhaps there was a way to nudge him in the right direction. 

"Then Sheriff, you may tell them I will be glad to give them the work," he said. She was surprised, really but then why should she be? He had said it himself; his usual person was snowed in already, and she knew with that bad leg, all of this was probably more than he could physically do, or at least without doing some serious injury. Gold seemed in good enough shape; he certainly didn't look like the sort that was in line for a middle aged heart attack, but what did she know?

"Um, sure, will do. Meanwhile, do you have everything? They aren't sure when the power is coming back up. We might be looking at setting up shelter for people. Good thing most of the fireplaces here are still functional."

"Yes, thank you; I have all that I need," he said. Satisfied that the sheriff was just doing her job, and that David Nolan was merely helping her because of his four wheel drive, he was anxious to get back to Belle. At the moment, any knock on the door was likely to make her run and hide. They exchanged a few pleasantries and said their goodbyes, before he closed the door on them. 

"Is it me, or is he being actually pleasant?" Emma asked as they stepped off the porch. "Not that he is necessarily unpleasant, but..." She didn't have quite the words to describe the feeling. 

"Not as cold?" David replied. He had noticed it too, but wasn't sure exactly what to make of it either. "Maybe it's just he's glad to get the help." He shrugged and they made their way back to the truck to continue their rounds. 

"Belle, where are you love?" he said as he came back into the kitchen. He was pleased to find that she wasn't hiding in the pantry this time; instead she had bundled up the towels that she had used to get the snow up, and was making her way up from the cellar. He was once again glad that he had put a door between the main cellar and the laundry facilities; admittedly he had done that to keep the cleaner from being noisy, but right now he wasn't sure what seeing the things he kept behind the cellar door would do to her. "It was the sheriff, checking to make sure that the old monster didn't freeze to death in the night."

"What did I tell you about calling yourself a monster in front of me?" she asked, as she moved towards him, mock seriousness in her eyes, though underneath he could see that she still wasn't pleased. "You aren't old, either," she said as she reached out and put her arms around him. 

"On that count, I am afraid you are wrong, love," he said softly.

"I'm not wrong; you aren't old. Mature, experienced, dignified, yes, but not old, never old to me," she whispered as she buried her head in his damp jacket. The argument earlier had shaken Belle as well. She didn't want to be controlled and she didn't want him to hurt himself, especially with his leg, but he was proud, and getting him to accept help was infuriating. She realized that this was going to take time and work, and right now all she wanted was to curl up with him. 

"I won't argue with you right now; I will just tell you that there are some children coming over to shovel the snow. Apparently, the sheriff's son and some of the others are making money shoveling out the residents."

"So we are finished?" she asked.

"Not entirely; I still need to get that wood in, but after that we should be in good shape." 

"So let us get the wood in," Belle said. "Do you have extra gloves?" 

"Belle..."

"I can help. Please, let me help," she asked, looking him with those big blue eyes that made his heart melt into his shoes. "We have stew leftover from last night; I can put it on the stove to warm while you bring the wood in." Belle's ever practical mind made him marvel at her once again. He hated the idea of her helping but he wouldn't let the fires go out and have her cold either. Biting his lip, he nodded and went to the cupboard for an additional pair of gloves, too big for her small hands, but better than nothing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title for this chapter taken from Karine Polwart song of the same name, which really should have been written for these two. As usual, thanks to Lauren, my Beta for the help. You know the rest.


	28. Fun with snow?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The clean up continues, and maybe just a little understanding.

The wood was in, finally, and Gold stripped out of his work boots and coat before moving it the rest of the way. He was bone weary, but he wasn't about to leave Belle moving all that wood. Allowing her to help at all had stung his masculine dignity. He knew the kind of strong, independent woman she was; it was one of the things that he had always respected about her, what drew him to her before he fell in love. Still it was not easy to allow her to help, bringing as it did his old feelings of inadequacy, even though he knew it wasn't her meaning. But before he could get drawn further into these thoughts, she came into the room, the light in his darkness, a smile on her face that lit his world. 

"There is a towel there; get dried off before you catch cold," Belle ordered before gathering up a couple of pieces of wood. She had pulled the ugly coat over her mismatched outfit, and the heavy work gloves. 

"Is it that cold, that you need the coat?" he asked, a little concerned that the fires weren't burning well. 

"No, not really," she said with a blush. "I just didn't want to ruin your sweater, and this coat is...well."

"Hideous?" he supplied. "Awful, ghastly, horrifying?"

"I would just say ugly, and not at all something that I can picture you wearing."

"It isn't, which is why it was in the back of the closet. Don't know why I've not got rid of it before now. At least it is serving a purpose." Her practicality once more amazed and pleased him. Leave it to his Belle, even if she wasn't quite his Belle right now. Still, he smiled fondly, and she returned it. "Now, let me get that wood taken care of."

"No, not a bit of it. You have done so much already, and I'm almost finished. There's just this last bit for the bedroom and then just the living room. I started with the library," she explained. "It's the furthest and we'll not need it as much. You get dried off so you aren't dripping on the rugs or making yourself sick." 

He wasn't sure if he was prouder of her organized system or appalled with how easy she was managing him, but rather than argue, he set to drying off, assuming that by the time he was done, he could take the last loads for her. She had been locked up so long; he didn't want her overexert herself. It occurred to him that they were both trying to protect the other, and that was more warming than he wanted to think about. He put the towel down, and slipped into some house slippers she had also brought him before bending down to collect the wood. She had done a good job, moving it from where he had put it by the back door to the kitchen door, on the carefully laid down pile of Storybrooke Mirror back issues (the only reason he really took the paper at all was that it was good for things like cleaning and silver polishing but not worth reading). He'd not been able to use his cane for the heavy work, and he knew for a fact he would pay for it later (might even have to resort to some form of pain killer) but the work needed to be done. At least it was almost over. 

Belle came down the stairs to find Richard stacking logs in the iron stand beside the fireplace. That name didn't sit right with her; every time she opened her mouth, she felt like something else was trying to come out, but she didn't know what. It occurred to ask if she had a nickname for him, but he really didn't seem the nickname sort. He smiled at her, but she could see the lines of pain and weariness creasing his face. Saying something would be counter productive though, she knew that, and would probably stir up disagreement. The age difference, and his injury were going to make it difficult for him to accept her taking care of him, regardless of how much she wanted to. Bloody stubborn man, she thought to herself. Perfectly ok for him to take care of me, but not the other way round. But she knew that arguing was not going to help any. She would just have to work at it, carefully. 

Without a word, she went to the kitchen and got another load, handing them to him before he could comment, and going back for more. "Belle," he started.

"You stack them; I'll carry, it's not far and I don't know where you want to put the rest. We should have enough wood in now for a few days. Do you think the power will be out that long?" She didn't even give him a chance to really object.

"Not certain yet, but then neither are they. Besides, it's not as if it will go off. I'd rather not have to do this again if the storm blows up again."

"Do you think it will?" she asked. 

"Not sure yet, sweetheart. But regardless, the roads are mostly cleared, and we should be able to get the car out soon enough." Belle paused behind him and he turned at her silence.

"Does that mean...will you go back to the shop tomorrow if the storm doesn't blow up?" she was biting her lip just a little. He was shocked (and not a little pleased) that she seemed unhappy about the concept. 

"Probably not, or not for long. With the power out, there is no real reason. It's far to cold for customers, and I'll not get any repair work done with my hands frozen in gloves. Why, do you want me out of the house?" he asked teasingly, though he was fairly certain he knew the answer.

"Not at all," she said though, completely serious and not a little distressed. Rumplestiltskin cursed himself quietly. She was still not ready for too much teasing. 

"Belle?" he asked, turning to look at her. She was biting her bottom lip in a way that made him want nothing more than to reassure her. "I was only teasing. What's the matter?" 

"You know I miss you when you aren't here. When you tease me about that it makes me feel like...I don't know but I don't like it; any more than I like it when you call yourself a monster." 

Instead of saying anything, he reached out for her and she came straight to him. They could have stood like that for an hour, just comfortable together. He was so very tempted to kiss her, but he resisted. It was too soon, there would be time later; those were the excuses he used. Not that he was a coward, but until her memory came back, it just wasn't right. But before he could get further with his justifications, the door bell rang. Belle froze in his arms immediatelyand he found himself stepping between her and the door, even though he knew that they couldn't be seen. It was a reflex, to protect her at all cost. "In to the kitchen with you, love," he whispered to her. "It's probably the children. As soon as I've got them started you slip upstairs, ok?" She nodded her understanding and slipped quickly and quietly back into the kitchen.

On his front porch, Henry Mills was standing with two other children, a girl and a boy. Behind them were five others, all with their own snow shovels. "Quite the enterprise you have here, Henry," he said as he greeted the boy. 

"Thanks, Mr. Gold," he said. The other two were quiet, though. "You...ah..." The boy wasn't exactly sure what to say; Ava had been handling all that sort of thing, but he was the only one who would talk to Mr. Gold. He knew the man scared a lot of people, though he didn't really scare Henry. After all, he had helped Emma with being Sheriff, and while he wasn't exactly sure who he had been, he was pretty sure he was not on the side of the curse. "Emma said you needed some help," he said finally. He also wasn't used to seeing Gold in anything but a suit, and the curiosity on his face showed. Gold looked down and smiled a little (or what passed for a smile). 

"Yes, I was getting the wood in for the fire, before I knew that there was help on the way. You might try a side business in helping carry wood in for some of the older folks, once you've run out of driveways and sidewalks." He was deliberately being pleasant. The boy was brave, not at all surprising considering who his parents and grandparents were. Gold only wished he knew who his father was, probably no one, but destiny and curses were funny things. 

"Thanks, that's a good idea, now..."

"To business, I am sure you are busy," Gold said concisely. That seemed to be the cue for the blond girl to step forward, now that Henry had broken the ice. She gave him a reasonable price, explaining almost apologetically that they would have to charge more due to the length of his driveway, and working out the other details (front walk, yes, sidewalk, no, due to snowplows that would just bury their work). Then he offered them extra if they could find his car and clear it, and provided them with Ice Melt to pour on the steps and as much of the area by the house as they could. The serious young lady, called Ava, wrote it all down in a notebook, showing the services and a quote, and explaining in all seriousness that she would give him a receipt when they had finished, before shaking his hand very gravely. It was hard not to giggle just a little; such a serious young girl, she would go far, whether in this world or the other. She had all the makings of a young entrepreneur. But he resisted. Children that age were generally sensitive to anything that might be seen as making light of them. As he closed the door, she was busy giving out assignments, and the children spread out, getting straight to business. Considering the prices, they were probably doing quite well, even considering the split. He saw Paige, the Hatter's young daughter, bundled up by her foster parents in a purple coat and mittens, helping Henry clear his front steps, while the older girl and two of the bigger children got started on the driveway. Really, he was impressed by them, but for now, he retreated back into the house. 

The moment he closed the door, he motioned Belle upstairs, his finger to his lips. Henry and Paige weren't that close to the door, but he didn't want to take a chance. Belle hurried quickly and quietly up the stairs, and he heard her steps continue until she presumably ended up in the library. It was a good place for her, he decided. There was very little chance anyone would see her through the windows that high up in the house. Meanwhile, he finished the last of the food, dragged the Ice Melt out for the children and set about putting the kitchen back to rights. Gold was incredibly tired, but he knew he couldn't rest until the children had finished up and left. 

In the front of the pink house, Henry and Paige were making good time on the front walkway. It was easier than some of the other houses since they had started at the steps and it was all downhill. "See, he's not scary, not really," Henry was saying as he moved down further. They had worked out a system between them, and it was coming along nicely. Then they could get on to the driveway, which was going to take more time. At least, like the front walk, it was also on a slope. 

"I suppose, but I wouldn't have gone up like that. You were pretty brave, Henry," she told him. "He has a really big house for just one person. I wonder why it's pink?" she said, looking back at the house behind them. They had been working pretty steady all day, and a couple kids had already gone home. Two of Ava's friends from school had replaced them though, so it was working out. She knew she was going to be tired tonight.

"I don't know; I always figured he just never painted it. I mean, he's always at his shop, or like walking around town, doing deals and things. Maybe he just doesn't care," Henry said, with a shrug. He looked up at the big old house. He'd never really looked at it before. There was a big window all the way at the top of the house, and for just a moment, he thought he saw someone looking out. He tried to look more closely, but there was nothing, just a blank window. 

"What are you looking at?" Paige asked. 

"Henry, there's work to do, what are you doing?" Nick called to him. 

"Nothing, I just thought I saw someone in the window," he said, picking up his shovel again. 

"Probably Mr. Gold, making sure we are working," Paige said, neatly clearing the next patch of walk.

"Here, I've got that Ice Melt, Mr. Gold wants it out on the steps here as well," Ava said, dragging a container around the of the house. 

"When did he bring that out?" Henry asked her.

"Just now," she said with a shrug. "Why?"

"No reason," he said, getting back to his work. There couldn't be anyone else in the house, could there? It must be his imagination. But somehow, he couldn't quite believe it. Thinking about Sidney and the break in he had heard about, about his mom and the different things that had been going on lately, he sunk into his thoughts and his work. Something was definitely going on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little more fluff and less plot than I intended but that should change soon. Thanks to my Beta Lauren and to all the people who are reading, and commenting. Comments greatly appreciated.


	29. Put me back together again

After the children finished their work and got paid (he slipped them a little extra for doing such a good job, not that he was generous particularly, but it was a great relief not to have to do it himself) he closed the door with a sense of relief and went into the kitchen to make some tea. He knew that it would make Belle feel better. Gold was fairly certain she was a little worried, stuck as she was upstairs with no way of knowing what was going on. He had thought about going upstairs while they were working and make sure she was alright, but the stairs were being particularly troubling with his overworked leg.

"Belle," he said quietly, as he carried the tray into the library, cane carefully tucked over his arm. He made his way through the arch to find her curled up in one of the two chairs, a fire crackling merrily, with a book in her arms. The minute she saw him, she smiled and sat up in the chair.

"You should have let me do that," she said nodding toward the tea tray.

"I am perfectly capable of carrying a tea tray," he told her.

"That you are, but you've also been doing most of the heavy work. I am also capable of carrying a tea tray." He nodded but didn't give in, and she cleared the table. Apparently she had taken some time to pick out her usual pile of books to be read. It reminded him of the books he had got from Archie, still probably on the table by the door from last night. Perhaps if they each took one... surely reading about amnesia wouldn't be an issue for her? He assumed she wanted to help and when it came to Belle and books he was pretty certain that it wouldn't be an issue. If she had been a male, she would have made a scholar (and probably a good leader at that), but their world hadn't known from feminism not in the sense that this world did. It wasn't something he had thought much about until he came here, honestly. After all, he had grown up a peasant among people who got the work done regardless of sex, and while men preferred sons, daughters could just as easily work the farm, tend the flocks, and pretty much the same things that boys did, (though he acknowledged that they were expected to do more). Some things had changed in this world; some hadn't but he had always known that regardless of what some people thought, women were most certainly not less intelligent than men.

While he was thinking about that, Belle had taken over pouring out tea for them, making it just the way they both liked it. The room was warm, and he realised for the first time that he was still mostly dressed for the outdoors, not to mention damp and not a little dirty. Belle had left him clean socks with his slippers but his working trousers were damp and covered with dirt. He truly hated being less than clean. However he was hardly going to strip off right here, despite the fact that he was wearing a full set of woolies. He also wasn't quite ready for the stairs, again. Instead, Gold settled for taking off his sweater and contemplating a bit of a wash up under the sink when they were done.

"I got some books yesterday," he said, picking up his cup.

"More book? What kind?" she asked turning eager eyes to him. He couldn't help but smile at her.

 _Gods, how did I manage before,_ he asked himself. _You were still accepting that you had fallen in love with her before, and you hadn't been separated?_ The voice of his conscience somehow still had his old trill, all the dramatics that he had let fall away in this new world. He took a sip of his tea. "I got them from the town psychologist; about memory loss. He gave me some articles to look up on the computer as well, but for now that is not an option."

"Where are they?" she asked, jumping up immediately. "I'll go get them, we can start..."

"Calm yourself, love. They are on the table downstairs; I'm afraid I got distracted with the storm last night."

"Clearly, since you know how much my memory means to me," Belle said. There was a little hurt in her voice but only a little, and he wanted nothing more than to apologise. "But then I suppose a blizzard does take precedence," she admitted only a little reluctantly, her smile holding all the forgiveness he needed.

She left the room in a hurry, and he couldn't stop himself from a warning about being careful on the stairs. His love was many things, and occasionally, exceptionally clumsy was one of them. But she managed to return in only a few moments with the books and with all her limbs intact. Gold tried to ignore the way he didn't start breathing again until she was back safe within his sight. He realised that he was going to have to do something about his possessiveness. For now, he could hardly bear to have her out of his sight all day while he was at the shop, knowing that she was home by herself and safe. But she couldn't live that way, with only him for company, as much as he might wish to be selfish that way. She was going to have to be allowed to get out, to know this world and it's people, even though the thought of it ate at him just a little.

"There are some notebooks and pens over in the drawer," he told her, pointing toward the table on the other side of the room. "Why don't you get them. Do you have a preference?" He was reaching for the books as she moved across the room.

"You are going to help?" she asked.

"Of course I am, why would you think..." Gold turned puzzled eyes to her as she made her way back with two legal pads and a couple pens.

Belle looked at him and bit her lip. "This is my problem, I just thought... I didn't think it through?" she said finally. Honestly the day had just been so up and down she wasn't exactly sure what she was thinking. Belle gave him a look, all her fears and confusion in that look. Perhaps his reluctance was sending her the wrong message?

"I want to help, love. I want you to have your memories back," he said quietly. "Even if it means..." He wasn't sure why he felt the need to say it, but the words were coming out before he could stop himself, and he mentally cursed himself. Was he finally losing it? He couldn't seem to stop making clumsy mistakes anymore. But before he could completely withdraw, Belle was on her knees in front of him, trying to meet his lowered eyes, and reaching out for him.

"What? Even if it means I leave? Is that what you are thinking, that because of before, I will leave the moment I remember? All because of a stupid fight we had before?" She looked him in the eye and could see how deep the pain was. "Do you have so little faith in me?" she whispered.

"Belle," her name came out like a prayer, and he reached to drag her up to him. "No, I have all the faith in the world in you. It's myself I have trouble with," he said a little wryly, trying to defuse the situation. It was too emotional; they were both unsettled, and it would be too easy for something to happen. "I'm a coward, love, always have been."

"You aren't," she said. "But I guess I have to have faith enough for both of us, at least for now?" She allowed him to pull her up. Having her on her knees like that disturbed him in ways best not examined too closely. Instead, he gave her a hug, gently, releasing her far too soon for either of their comfort. "Now, research," she said, handing him paper and pen, and one of the books.

The rest of the afternoon was spent in reading. Belle approached the book meticulously, like the scholar she was. He often wondered why he had not had her assist him in his laboratory before; she would have made an excellent assistant for all that she had no magic. Then he remembered her clumsiness, and the possibility that she would have done something irreparable to one or both of them purely by accident. The book she had chosen seemed to focus on the different types of amnesia and all the things that could cause it, while his was more the psychology behind it. Honestly he wasn't certain any of it was that useful, but at least it made them feel like they were doing something. Besides, really the psychology of it couldn't be that different could it? All this science was a bit like magic with its rules and reactions; though he understood magic, while science seemed too...clinical. Every so often Belle would read something out loud to him or ask a question about something she was reading.

For his part, Gold was concentrating on what he could and couldn't do. He was unsurprisingly reluctant to be too specific about their past. The last thing he wanted was her to get the impression that she was trapped in a house with a madman. Still, if he stuck to the actions and left out the details, perhaps he might be alright. Certainly he could reassure her when she had a memory, or even an impression from their time together. Familiar things, the book said, no pressure; easy enough for them.

"Did I have a head injury?" she asked him. "I'm trying to figure out what kind of amnesia I have, but none of these seem to fit exactly."

Not likely to find magical, curse-induced amnesia in that book, he thought to himself. Aloud however, he said, "Not that I am aware of, but remember, I don't know what happened to you; it's as if you dropped off the face of the earth." He didn't want or need to words to sound as desperate and anguished as they did, but there was nothing he could do about it. It seemed after all this time he had no emotional control when it came to her. Belle reached across and took his hand with a reassuring smile. But he couldn't help noticing with pleasure that she didn't release his hand until she needed it to turn the page.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See, I haven't forgotten this story, just been a little tied up with other things. Too many ideas, too little time. The title is from a song by Karine Polwart, and kind of sums up how they feel about each other. Thanks to all those who are still reading. The usual disclaimers etc. apply.


	30. Breaking Glass

Few people were eating in Granny's diner late in the afternoon. The customers had slowed, with most people having gotten food to go, or warmed up with hot drinks before heading out to get ready for dark. Yesterday's storm had hit more or less from no where, leaving even the normal well prepared residents slightly shell shocked. The nuns had sold out of candles, as had the drug store, the hardware and even the grocery store once reports said that it would be at least two more days before they got electrics back, and that was if the storm, which had stalled for the moment, didn't return with even more snow. People wanted to be prepared. There had also been runs on propane heaters, generators, firewood and toilet paper (no one was exactly sure why, but it was tradition). 

In the corner, nursing a cup of coffee and a hangover, Sidney Glass was still trying to figure out what to do about his problem. At least for the moment, there was a good chance that Mr. Gold was in his pink house, probably planning how best to ruin his life. The newspaper man had made a stab at writing a story about the storm for the paper, not that he could actually do anything about it. He was pretty sure there was an old manual typewriter in the office, but while he had a vague idea of how to manually typeset it, he had no way to print it without electricity. Sure there was some old fashioned hand crank equipment in the basement, but even if he had the expertise, he hadn't the heart right now to even try. He'd gone by the office long enough to make sure everything was okay. Now he was trying to get the energy to go back to his house and at least pretend he was going about life normally. He thought about going to see Regina for about a minute, but he knew there was really no point. 

"Hey, Ruby," Emma Swan said as she came into the diner. 

"Hey Emma; how's everything going?"

"Good, the hospital is going to open up some spare beds for people with no heat and no other options, so that's one more thing taken care of. Good thing so many of these houses still have fire places."

"Yeah, and a lot of people have heaters. This is your first big blizzard here, but we're pretty used to them," the young woman said. "Want something to eat?"

"I'm meeting Mary Margaret," she said, only then noticing Sidney Glass sitting in the corner. He didn't look good, and she decided she should go say something to him. "Hey Sidney, you look rough."

"Thanks so much, Sheriff," he said. He wasn't usually so gruff with her, especially since he'd been trying to convince her of his desire to help her. Now he was far too depressed to worry about it.

"Ok, let me put it another way; you look and smell like you spent last night eye to eye with the bottom of a bottle. Not exactly the safest thing to do in this weather, and public safety is my concern. Care to talk about it?"

"I doubt there is anything you or anyone else can do about my safety," he said morosely. 

"You still worried about Gold?" she asked. "He said he wouldn't press charges."

"He didn't press charges against Moe French either. If I turn up missing, at least you'll know who to look for," Sidney said before looking down as if he was trying to find wisdom in his empty coffee cup. 

"Let me ask you something," she said, sitting down on the opposite side of the booth. "Why are you so terrified of Gold? I mean, I know exactly what he did to Moe French; I was there, remember? But his record was completely clean before then. No violence, no threatening behavior, the man doesn't have so much as a parking ticket. Everyone seems afraid of him, but no one seems to be able to actually put a finger on what he has done. Other than owning most of the land in town, handling legal adoptions and making legal, if possibly shady, loans, what does he actually do?" she asked. It was a question that had been starting to bug her recently. It seemed that in Storybrooke, there were certain attitudes, but no one seemed to know why they held them. 

"He's..." Sidney paused and started to think. Honestly, he had spent a lot of time and effort trying to dig up dirt on Gold, and nothing had ever come of it. But he couldn't actually remember why it was so important. Maybe Regina had asked him? But no, it couldn't be that. She and Gold weren't friendly, but they weren't exactly enemies either. Until recently he hadn't been aware of any active hostility. "I...he thinks I tried to break into his house. Isn't that what set him off with Moe?" he asked finally. 

"Moe French actually broke in to his house, forced the front door, broke some things, and stole from him. I don't actually think that's what set him off, but that whole situation was a little weird. You didn't break anything, did you, or take anything?" she asked. 

"No, nothing like that. I was just..." he opened his mouth to repeat his story of innocence, but she just waved him off. 

"Don't tell me again," she said with a dismissive wave. "Unless you are ready to tell me the truth?" Sidney looked at her. He was tempted, really. But he had been doing what Regina asked him for so long. He felt lost. Instead he turned to look back into his empty coffee cup as if expecting it to suddenly be full of coffee. "Okay, well if you won't talk to me, why don't you go try to talk to Gold? I'm not sure it would help, but it couldn't hurt," Emma said, as the door to the diner opened, admitting Mary Margaret. "Think about what I said," she told him as she stood. 

Sidney nodded dumbly at her. For a moment, he thought about going to see Regina, trying one more time, but no matter how much he wanted to believe that she would protect him, he couldn't make himself. Maybe Emma was right, he thought to himself as he rose. After all, he didn't have a lot of other options. If Regina was going to turn her back on him, why should he continue to be loyal? With these thoughts swirling around in his head, he stood up. She was right; he needed to do something. It was time to pull himself together. Besides, if he didn't pull himself together, it was a good bet that he would do something stupid. He had survived last night; it probably wasn't a good idea to push it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the comments etc. and thank you to my beta Lauren. Please do the usual.


	31. Memories

The light had faded completely by the time Gold called a halt. They had been at it some hours, and Belle was looking tired. "Just let me finish..." she begged.

"If I let you finish that chapter, are you saying you won't want another?" he asked. "We can't absorb all of this at once. Besides, I need to change clothes and clean up a bit. You'll not want to be near me if I smell like a navvy," he told her. 

Belle stood up slowly and stretched herself out, causing his heart to stutter just a bit in his chest. While he was fairly certain that cardiac arrest was not possible for him, he was also certain that she might very well be the death of him. She leaned close to him and took a sniff. "You smell fine to me," Belle said, smiling. "Though I can understand wanting to clean up. I wish I had washed my hair yesterday before the power went out.'' She ran her hand through her curls with a moue of displeasure. "I suppose I could do it in the kitchen?" 

The thought of her washing her hair under the kitchen sink brought back another memory, one that he was less than proud of. It had been the moment when he realised exactly how much trouble this girl was going to be to him. He'd never meant to leave her in the dungeon for more than the night, just to scare her. But the next day he'd got a bit distracted, someone calling him for a particularly juicy deal for a bit of magic that they certainly had no use for, and after that...honestly, she never complained and he forgot. Embarrassing, but it had been a busy time for him, and Belle was distracting. 

So it was when he came into the kitchen two weeks later to find her shivering in a damp shift, washing her hair with water warmed in the kettle that he had actually been forced to remember. She cursed quietly as she poured the water over her head, some of it running down and further dampening the already practically transparent shift. Rumplestiltskin had held his breath and his hands to resist the temptation to help her. Instead he started to back away, thinking that she would probably be more comfortable without his presence, but at that moment, she pulled her head back and began fumbling for a towel. 

Unable to resist (and afraid that she would accidentally put her hand in the fire), he picked up the towel and wrapped it carefully around her shoulders. Belle jumped, turning with her arms crossed protectively over herself, the wet fabric leaving very little to the imagination. "I apologise for disturbing you, " he said carefully, not wanting to further frighten her. "But tell me dearie, what are you doing?" 

"Washing," she said simply. 

"But why are you doing it in the kitchen?" 

"Well, I suppose I could drag the water all the way down to my dungeon, but I thought it would be less of a mess this way. Besides, it's cold down there."

"Your dungeon," he asked, momentarily confused. It had hit him suddenly like a magic backlash. He'd gotten busy; he'd allowed himself to get distracted. The dungeon was cold, and his little trophy could have taken a fever. That would never do. "Turn around," he said. She looked confused but did as he asked. He reached out, allowing his magic to wrap around her, leaving her dry and deliciously warm. "Can't have you catching your death now can we?" he said, before leading her from the kitchen toward the stairs. When they came to a door, he stopped and opened it with a flourish. "Hardly worthy of a princess, but good enough for a housekeeper," he said with a smile. He should have known it was the beginning of the end. It was the first time she had touched him voluntarily, smiling and giving him a gentle caress on his arm as she slipped past him into the room. 

"Richard? Richard!" Belle's voice brought him out of his daydream, along with the touch of her hand on his arm, exactly the same as in his thoughts. 

"Sorry," he said with a smile, putting his hand over hers.

"Pleasant thought?" she asked. "Care to share?"

"Just distracted," he told her. "Right now, there are other things to do." 

"Then you can tell me later," Belle said, picking up the tea tray. "I'll take this down while you get cleaned up." She stopped and gave him a kiss on the cheek before turning lightly toward the stairs. 

"Be careful," Gold said, still worried about her and stairs (especially when she was carrying things), but resisting his urge to be over protective. He followed her slowly as far down as the first floor, and moved towards his bedroom (though not before watching her continue on to the ground floor with the tray in hand). He admitted that he was starting to find himself offensive and there was no way he was going to continue on this way, especially with Belle. It was hard enough realising that he was going to have to continue to share a bed with her for the foreseeable future, the prospect filled with pleasure and pain. Honestly, he had managed to put his desires behind him for this long, but now Rumplestilskin felt like a randy boy, more than he had been when he was one in fact. But that was certainly not something to think about now. 

A quick wash up was all he could stand, hot water not really making up for the chill of the bathroom; but there was no way he was going to do this in the kitchen where the heat from the stove would make it warmer. He wasn't about to expose Belle to his shirtless form. She deserved so much more than an old sorcerer with a dark past. And if this is what she wants? that little voice in the back of his head trilled. She has certainly never shied away from you. What if you are what she wants? Will you deny her? He tried to tell himself he was wrong, to shut the voice in his head back away, but he couldn't help remembering last night, her leaning against him, the way she touched him and spoke of love. Rather than chasing those thoughts, he dragged a clean undershirt over his head and followed it with a fisherman's sweater before taking a last look in the mirror. He didn't know what she saw when she looked at him, but apparently she saw something, and whatever it was, she was more than welcome to it. 

Belle was making tea and thinking over what she had read. She could hear Richard moving around upstairs. She still couldn't see him as a Richard, but whatever the other name, it wouldn't come, and she forgot to ask him. She opened the refrigerator. He had told her that it would keep cold for a while if they left the door shut, but it was starting to feel warmer, and while the room was not warm by normal standards, she didn't want to poison either of them. 

"What exactly is that, dearie? And what, pray tell, am I supposed to do with it?" The other voice was familiar, not exactly but somehow she knew it was him, it was Richard, no that wasn't right. But the name escaped her. 

"It's dinner, what do you think you do? You eat it."

"It's not the first thing that would have occurred to me, no." 

It was a memory, she knew that. But what it meant, she didn't know. Belle wanted to run upstairs and throw her arms around him, to ask him about it. Instead she waited, praying with every heartbeat that he would come down, and trying to focus on whether she should take the food to the back porch to keep it cold. While she was trying to distract herself, the door opened, and instantaneously Belle turned and threw herself in his arms without hesitation. 

"What's the matter, love?" he asked, wrapping his arms around her in return.

"I... I was a rotten cook," she said finally, she wasn't exactly crying but her voice held a wealth of emotion.

"What, did you remember something?" he asked immediately, pulling back just enough to look in her eyes. 

"Not exactly; sort of. It was you, or I think it was you, but there was something wrong with your voice; it was higher....and there was something about dinner..." He held her tightly, waiting for her and not knowing what to say, so he said nothing.

Slowly she calmed down, and rested her head against his sweater covered chest. "So my cooking?"

"You got better?" he said, not exactly sure how to respond to that. "When you first came to live with me, your cooking was...a work in progress," he said diplomatically. 

"And you trust me to cook for you now?" she asked.

"As I said, you got better, and I am hardly a cook myself. Still, you remembered something; that is good." 

"It's not much; just you...it was you, I think, but you sounded different...saying something about what I had cooked," she said, pulling away just a bit. 

"No, but it is more than nothing," Gold said, kissing her gently on the forehead. "Remember, don't push. Just accept it as it comes."

"That's easy for you to say even if you are right."

"I usually am," he told her with a smirk and she slapped his shoulder affectionately. 

"Now we need to get the food, put it on the back porch or something. The refrigerator is starting to warm up." He sighed but she was correct, and they had all the time in the world. Besides, the less he had to explain about what she remembered, the better. 

Over a light meal, they discussed the things they had read. "It's hard to figured out what to expect. According to the book, I may never remember what happened to me, or the days immediately before it. I could never remember some things, but I'm not sure how likely that is, since I don't know what happened to me. Honestly, before I came here, it seems like an endless parade of days that were all exactly the same. I could have been there a week or a year for all I know."

"Pretty much, love," he said quietly, trying not to choke on his tea. That was exactly what it had been like before Emma came, an endless progression of days, each one almost exactly like the one before. Oh, he could see the differences, as could the Mayor, but they were the only ones. Sometimes he thought it was a miracle that he hadn't gone mad; sometimes he had been sure he was. But he had used the time, by preparing, finding little things and getting them ready for the next act it the little play. "The important thing is that you are free now. One thing we do know, you have your memories, or at least some of them; you simply can't access them."

"So what did your book tell you about that?" she asked. He thought for a moment, considering exactly how to answer her. There were things that he wanted to tell her, but what if she started seeing too clearly? Graham had. When he'd seen him in the woods, so close to his death, he could see it in the sheriff's face. The curse was failing, and the Huntsman didn't know what to do with the images in his mind. He would never allow that to happen to Belle; he would be right there. Then another thought struck him; did Belle still have her heart? Was there a way that Regina could hurt her that way? No he though, if she had Belle would have died the moment that the Mayor knew she was missing. Those thoughts ripped through him, terror, fear, relief, all so fast that he wondered just in passing if this was what cardiac arrest felt like, and if it was even possible for him to have a heart attack. Before he could wander further down those paths, a hand came and closed over his, bringing him back into the present. "What? Sorry love. I was trying to organise my thoughts," he said, with a gentle smile for her. 

"That's why you turned so pale?" she asked, concern apparent in every line of her being. 

"No," he reassured her. "I just... thought about what could have happened to you, if you hadn't found me," Gold told her, and forgave himself in that he was only lying to her a little bit. "According to my readings, familiar things are alright, and questions; nothing too taxing though, and there is still a lot more material to go through." He knew he was hedging but honestly, what could he do? What he needed was to push Emma Swan harder, get her to break the curse faster. Of course the best way to Emma was through Henry; the boy knew the truth, at least some of it. Gold also knew that Henry was eaten up with curiosity as to exactly who he was. But he couldn't just tell the boy; that would be too easy. 

"So if I ask you questions?" she asked.

"I suppose so, but I want to be careful, you understand?"

Belle bit her lower lip in that way that alway went straight to his heart (and other places but, he was trying very hard not to think about that). "I suppose so," she said after a pause. "But I'm still going to ask."

"You wouldn't be you if you didn't," he told her, smiling. It was true; without her curiosity, Belle wouldn't be Belle. "But for now, perhaps we should clear up and retreat to the bedroom? It will at least be warmer. Perhaps we could read some more?" he suggested gently. She didn't say anything, but she gave a little nodded and smiled. Maybe she understood; he hoped she did. More likely she was preparing her list of questions to ask him, but he would worry about that later. 

In the bedroom, he built up the fire while Belle went to wash up in the bathroom. If they didn't get the power tomorrow, he was going to have to figure out a better way. But for now, an evening in the chair with the fire, a book and Belle, it was more than an old monster deserved, regardless of what she thought. He was just getting ready to go bring the chair from her room for her when she came into the room. She had changed out of his sweater, and pulled the gold robe he had given her over whatever else she was wearing. The sight of her in his robe went straight to places he really shouldn't be even thinking about right now. It was a possessive pleasure, as if anyone who saw her would know that she was his. Of course it was foolish; she should never be his, but as she showed no sign that she wanted to move on, and he wasn't strong enough to resist, perhaps...He shut all those thoughts down. Right now, there were more important things to concentrate on. "I was just going to get you a chair..." he said to cover his distracted thoughts. 

"There's no need, I'll be comfortable where I was last night," she said with a smile.

Gods, this woman is going to be the death of me, but what a beautiful death it will be, Gold thought to himself. "Are you certain you wouldn't..." he said aloud, wondering how much more of this he could take before he went completely mad or did something they would both regret. She put her hand on his arm and smiled up at him. 

"I would rather be close to you. What if I have another memory, something bad?" she asked, looking into his eyes and biting her lip, making him want to sooth it with his own. Resistance was getting so very much harder, but he couldn't say no to her. How was he ever going to send her away? The answer was of course he wasn't going to. He was still a coward; he would no more send her away than he would amputate a part of his body. If she wished to go, he would accept it, but he couldn't send her away, not again, never again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, folks, sorry this took so long. Thank you for the patience and for continuing to read. And a round of applause for my beta, Lauren for keeping up with me. Please, read, review, you know what to do by now. 
> 
> (for those used to me using songs as titles, this is Memories as in 'The Way we were' as opposed to Cats, proving that I am old).


	32. Misconceptions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A misunderstanding leads to some answers.

Belle woke from a beautiful dream to find herself tucked firmly and securely in Richard's arms, his body curled protectively around her. It was as if he was intent on shielding her from the world, which she supposed he was. Since she had gotten away from the hospital, he had fed her, bought her clothes, and protected her from the world, and all she had done was cook him a couple of meals. But it didn't matter; she knew that he would do anything for her. He didn't even need to say it; she knew. Which drew her thoughts back to her dream.

It had been strange; though somehow she knew she had dreamed about these things before. She was in a castle; the walls were rich, there were tapestries, a huge fireplace, and a grand table. But somehow it was...she couldn't quite put her finger on it...something was slightly different from the way books portrayed a world of fairy tales. She pushed that aside for now, to consider the other things. There was a man, the one that was Richard, and wasn't him at the same time. He didn't look like him, exactly. His eyes were wild and overlarge, but somewhere in them was the beautiful brown-gold of the man beside her; the same face but covered with a sort of gold-green pattern, perhaps scales like a reptile's. She wondered if this was how her mind translated his assertion that he was a monster, but if this was the monster he believed lurked inside him, then his fear that she would find him repulsive was absolutely out of place. The 'monster' in her dreams was unusual; different, but not ugly. Perhaps she would have thought differently if she hadn't know that it was him inside, but she couldn't find him less than fascinating; though she couldn't expect to explain that to him. She couldn't remember much about the dream, only images; herself in a beautiful gown clinging to him, him catching her as she fell, though she wasn't exactly sure what she was doing that she fell on him. 

But instead of finding her dreams disconcerting, she found herself snuggling closer to the man beside her. It didn't matter, dream or awake; she was drawn to him. She knew that, just as she was even more aware of how much she had loved him before. Did she love him now? Belle wasn't sure; how could she when she remembered so little of before? Burrowing her head into the curve of his shoulder, she thought about the things she had found out last night, the tidbits she had coaxed out of him. Her mother had died when she was a child, her father was a florist, but Richard wasn't sure that it would be a good idea to contact him right now, with the danger of discovery, but he assured her that the man was all right, saying he had seen him just the other day. Those were the easy questions. She knew there were harder ones, and she was going to have to take her time, but she wanted to know everything now. She wanted to remember, she wanted to...she wanted to be with Richard Gold, regardless of anything else, and couldn't for the life of her think of a good reason not to be. Oh, she knew what he would say, what he had been saying. That they had a big fight and he had been horrible and thrown her out (thought he was being perhaps a little melodramatic about that, it was hardly victorian times, with the poor woman thrown out into the snow). Belle realised that absolutely none of that mattered to her. 

Cuddling close to him, she stretched up and placed a very gentle kiss on the edge of his mouth. He murmured something sleepy and pulled her even closer to him. In his sleep she could hear him whisper her name, his hand slipping to the back of her neck to pull her in. The kiss was gentle at first, a brush of lips that quickly turned to more. Belle let herself be drawn in, her body lighting with warmth, more than even the fire could offer, and she gave herself completely to the feeling. She wanted to look into his eyes, but they were still closed. Part of her was sad that it was only in dreams that he would let himself go. She knew this was what she wanted, just as she knew how to breathe. It wasn't about memory; it was about feelings, and she knew her own heart, always had done. 

She felt herself being rolled as he slowly covered her with his body, his tongue gently urging her to open for him. It was beautiful and sweet, and she felt her heart racing and her breath coming faster. Belle felt so very safe, protected, and cherished. "Oh, Richard," she whispered as his mouth left hers to seek her throat. 

As suddenly as it began, everything stopped. His eyes opened, confusion burning in the brown depths. Before she could say anything, he was up and out of the bed, moving far faster than a man with a bad leg ought to be, out of the room. She heard another door open and then close, and she thought it was the bathroom door. Confused, she sat there wondering what to do, wondering what she had done. They had kissed, he had whispered her name in the dark and wrapped her in his arms, and it had felt so very right. Clearly something had startled him. She rose, uncertainly. She heard something, a crash, the breaking of glass. Before she could think any further she was across the hall, pounding on the bathroom door. 

"Richard, are you all right? Richard, please..." She shouted. In response there was the sound of something else crashing to the floor. Unable to resist, she turned the door knob. It turned, she realised he had probably been in too much of a hurry to lock it. Belle paused for only a moment. This was absolutely invading his privacy, but what if he was hurt? There was no way she would allow that. Quietly and carefully she opened the door. There was shattered glass on the floor, the mirror above the sink was broken, and it looked like the contents of at least one of the cabinets was on the floor. When she heard no response, she stepped into the room. Richard was curled in the corner, back against the wall, bad leg stretched out in front of him. His head was buried in his hands, hair hanging in his face. Even from here, she could see his chest rising and falling far to fast. Something was clearly wrong but she wasn't exactly certain what to do. Carefully she skirted the mess on the floor and moved closer to him. 

"Ri...Richard?" she said, still wishing that whatever it was, the name that was trying to work its way out of her would just do it. 

"Get the..." he started angrily, looking up, but when his eyes met hers, whatever he was going to say drained away, and he turned away from her. "What are you doing in here?" he said harshly.

"I heard things breaking; I thought you hurt yourself."

"Not enough, not nearly enough," he said, though quietly as if talking more to himself than her. His hand was bleeding, and for a moment she thought about getting something to clean it up, but that would wait, at least until she knew what was going on. 

"Richard, what is it? Did I do something?" she asked cautiously.

"You? How could you? Never you. I'm the monster, I'm the one who can't be trusted," Gold muttered. He took a deep breath, then another one, and she could see him trying to distance himself and it broke her heart. "This can't... I will go out and try to acquire a small heater and you can return to your room, or I can sleep there if you prefer," he said stiffly.

"Why? Why would you want to do that?" Belle asked, the hurt clear in her voice and she reached for his hand. For the first time ever he flinched from her touch as if she had burned him. 

"You know why; there is no reason to pretend...you shouldn't be here," he said. But even as he tried to look stoic, she could see the pain in those eyes. 

"Of course I am here. Where else would I be when you have been hurt?" 

"I've been hurt? Belle, love, you are too good to me, especially after...I'm a monster; I can't be trusted." She heard the words; but she couldn't make any sense out of what he was saying. She hated it when he called himself a monster, and she trusted him with everything. Somehow they weren't communicating; they were missing something. 

"What are you talking about?" she asked finally, frustrated with the way her mind was running in circles. She walked over what had happened again, unable to find anything that he had done. Perhaps he was confusing something from his dreams?

"Belle, must we? You know what I did...what I tried to do. How can you not be terrified of me?" he was still being patient but she could see the mask settling more firmly into place. She knew she had to break whatever was happening, and now before it got any more deeply rooted.

"I don't know what you are talking about," she said, genuinely starting to feel irritated with him. He sighed heavily. 

"Belle, how can you even be in the same room with me after the way I...pawed you? At least I woke up in time; who knows what..."

"Richard, that is not your fault," she said, though a picture was starting to form in her head. "I kissed you. I'm sorry, I didn't think...you said my name, and I thought...I'm sorry," she said again suddenly struck by the fear that he didn't share her feelings, and that she was a fool. All this was her fault. He thought...she couldn't even get her head around it but she thought it was best to retreat before she did anything else stupid.

"You...you kissed me?" he said, his voice soft, almost awestruck. Belle nodded, as she rose, trying to look at anything but him as her face flamed. 

"I'm sorry, I didn't think...I thought you wanted me that way..." she whispered miserably as she turned to leave the room. 

"Belle..." he called to her, pulling himself up from the floor, but she was already starting toward the door. However in her misery, she forgot the broken glass, her feet covered in nothing but socks. Before she could even cry out, Gold was beside her, pulling her carefully in his arms before guiding her to sit on the toilet. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry honestly. It was first thing in the morning, and he had already been through more adrenaline than he had since the night she had slipped into his shop, all before tea. "Belle," he said again, this time turning her head up so she could look at him as he eased himself back down (oh, his leg was going to hate him even more than it already did). "Look at me love?" he asked, and carefully put his hand on her chin turning her towards her. "I am sorry...I thought...when I woke up on top of you, I thought I had hurt you, or tried to. I was afraid that I wasn't safe with you; I still am," he admitted, before turning to carefully pull the sock off her foot. 

"I kissed you," she said quietly. "I have wanted to do that for two days, but you never...then when you ran, I thought I'd misread. You have talked about what we had but...you've never kissed me, so I decided to do that brave thing," she said. He wasn't looking at her, instead tending to the piece of glass that had gone straight through the heavy sock. "Richard..."

He looked up at her, the distance she had sensed earlier had completely disappeared. "I'm afraid," he told her. "Afraid that if I start kissing you, I'll not be able to stop." The smile set her heart pounding and sent a trembling through her. 

Breathlessly, she licked her suddenly dry lips. "What if I don't want you to stop?" 

"Please, don't say that," he pleaded. "I'm only a man, love, and an old one at that. You deserve someone..."

"I deserve the man I want, if he wants me," she said, reaching down and cupping his chin in her hand. "No one makes that choice for me, even you," Belle told him. 

"No one decides your fate but you," he said. "But this is not a discussion for..." Gold looked around at his bathroom, the floor littered with the debris of his anger. His hand was bruised and bleeding just a little, and he had Belle's bleeding foot in his hand, and they both weren't getting any warmer. Belle wasn't even wearing her borrowed robe. 

"I'm not going to let this just go away," she told him. 

"I know you won't," he assured her. "But for right now, perhaps I should finish bandaging you. Then perhaps some tea?" he suggested and shifted in a way that showed her exactly how painful his leg was.

"I think that after that I should tend your hand, then...tea in bed?" she suggested. "You worked too hard yesterday, and it's still early." 

Gold groaned. "You're goin' to kill me, love." he told her. It wasn't as if she was going to let the conversation go away, and he had to admit, having it wrapped in bed with her sounded wonderful, if dangerous. He was still trying to process what had happened. Her kiss had incorporated itself into his dreams, the sort of dreams he had not had for quite a while, nightmares being more his stock in trade. It wasn't until she had given voice to his name, the wrong name, the cursed name, that he had woken up. Probably best considering his position at the time, but he was terrified that he had tried to take advantage of her in his sleep. He'd always prided himself on not being that kind of monster. That she was willing was confusing and all the more terrifying, in that if he had Belle in his bed for that, he wanted to be awake. But beyond that was the conversation he never wanted to have with her, that there was no good way to have with her. How exactly did you tell the woman that you love that you really want to be with her, but to the best of your knowledge she has never been with anyone before, and they should probably wait until she could remember?

"That's not exactly what I had in mind, no," she said with a cheeky grin. "Though the French do call..." He put a finger to her lips. Leave it to his wonderful girl despite her lack of memory, to have that little piece of knowledge tucked away somewhere. He really had to look at what she had been reading, and in his one library. Forcibly he turned his attention to bandaging her foot. 

"Now, carefully, best get some clean socks," he said. "I'll tend to this." Gold grimaced at the bathroom. At least most of the things these days were in plastic bottles. 

"I'll make us some tea, as soon as I check that hand," she said, taking his bruised fist into her hands. Carefully she checked it. He had managed not to cut himself badly, so there was nothing she could really do for it except to apply a little antiseptic and a clean bandage. She placed a soft kiss on his knuckles that went through him like a lightning strike. "All better," she whispered with a smile, and picked her way carefully out of the bathroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to all of you for holding on. This scene was hard to write and it took time. Thanks also to my beta, Lauren. As always, the muse thrives on comments, so give us some love.


	33. Awkward conversation

It seemed only a few minutes later, but Gold found himself back in his room, tucked up in bed with a cup of tea and Belle curled next to him. He had argued for them sitting by the fire, but she had rejected that, saying she wanted to be close to him, especially as it was still early and the town still without electrics. Realising that he could forbid her nothing, and that they had nothing particular to do that required being up as early as they were, he allowed himself to be urged back into the warm nest they had created for themselves. Belle had stolen another pair of his socks, informing him with a cheeky grin that his were thicker than her's, (which they probably were), so he couldn't really complain. In fact, she was more than welcome to anything she liked from his wardrobe. In this world, a woman in her partner's dress shirt was considered particularly attractive, and he was actually interested in experiencing that particular facet of the culture, assuming she truly meant, what he hardly dared hope she did. Partners, was that what they were? Was that where this was headed? He wasn't sure he even knew what that meant. He would make her a queen if she so desired it, but it seemed Belle wanted so very little of him. Except for your heart, a little voice reminded him, and she already has that. Assuming that she is interested in that sort of relationship once she has her memory, he reminded himself, though his current position gave him hope.

Indeed, while he was distracted by his thoughts, she had managed to wiggle closer to him, her warm body pressing to his side. When he turned towards her; she slipped under his arm and laid her head back against his shoulder before she settled in for her own cup. He sighed. It would be wrong to take advantage of her, he had established already his inability to send her away. Regardless, he couldn't until she had her memory back and the curse was broken; it wouldn't be right. He had sent her away for her own good twice, but it didn't seem to matter. With his magic, he could protect her regardless of where she was. But for now, he supposed he was going to be unable to avoid the subject that was between them.

But it was Belle that surprised him, with her first question. "Was there something I used to call you?" she asked. "You don't much seem the sort for nicknames, but..."

"But?" he asked, cocking his head just a bit. Was she remembering?

"It just...every time I say your name it feels wrong, like I am trying to say something else, but it won't come out. I know it sounds mental, but..."

"Not at all," he said. If anything, it relaxed him. Oh, not that he wanted her discomforted, but the fact that his cursed name stuck in her throat gave him hope, even more than the little bits of memory that had already shown themselves. "Belle, your memory is coming back slowly, but it is coming back. Soon you will know everything," he told her, though there was a little bit of sadness there. 

"And then we will deal with what happened before. No matter what happened before, you have been so good to me, cared for me. I know that whatever happened, whatever you said or did, you regret it. I don't need to know everything to know that you loved me. I just hope that you..." she paused uncertainly, biting her lip in that way that always went straight through him, making him want to soothe and reassure her. 

"Belle, never doubt, no matter what has happened or will happen, that I still love you. I never stopped," he said. There, it was said, it was out, and the coward inside was cringing, waiting for her to laugh or scream or any number of things. Instead, she leaned closer and pressed a very gentle kiss to the edge of his jaw. He trembled just a little at the brush of her lips, trying to think of anything but the warm woman who was in his arms and intent on taking down all the barriers between them. He spared what thought he had left for the truly difficult things he knew he had to say. Rumplestiltskin had promised himself once, promised the universe and any gods that were listening, that he would do anything if there could just be some way that his Belle could be returned to him. That he would tell her the truth, tell her everything, forgive her anything, if she would just be alive for him. But that was easy to do when he had no belief that he would ever have to make good on it. He had run too long, and now there was no getting away from it without breaking a deal that he had made. He had prided himself on never breaking a deal (save only the one), even if this one was only with himself. 

Now, there was nothing for it. Even worse was the tiny niggling doubt in his mind. What if she had found someone; what if she had met someone on the road? Or worse. He spared a brief thought to Regina and Belle's time in the evil queen's clutches. Surely Regina was smart enough not to harm her, or to allow her guards to. She had held on to Belle for so long as a bargaining piece, but she knew, had to know that no matter what, that if she allowed Belle to come to harm there was no turning back. He would never allow that kind of injury to go unpunished. No, Regina was many things, but she was smarter than that. Still, he never knew how much of what she told him was truth and how much lies. The Clerics were known for their ruthlessness, for all that many thought them pious men. They would not allow anything to stop them in their pursuit to root out any and all magic that was not closely tied to their own faith. His magic was absolutely not that. Come it it, he was pretty sure they were no kinder to fairy folk, if and when they got their hands on them. Best not to think about those things now though. One problem, one awkward conversation at a time.

"Belle," he said softly, trying to keep his voice under control. "There are things..."

"Richard, do you want me?" she asked, forthright as ever, wanting him to say the words, though he had admitted as much to her in the bathroom.

"Of course, I do, love; how could I not? You are everything that I..."

"Then why are you holding back?" she asked him. "It's not as if anyone would know or care. It's hardly Victorian times." The reminder of her curse background memories helped just a little to remind him of all the reasons why it was wrong. It might be all well and good here in this world, but what about when the curse lifted, what about when they all went home? In their world women did not go to bed with men who were not their husbands, or certainly not without repercussions. In no world that he knew of was it okay for a woman to bed a monster, no matter how much they loved each other, but that was for another time and place. 

"There are a lot of reasons why this would be wrong, love. You don't remember me, and I don't.."

"We've had this part. This is not about gratitude or obligation or any of that; it's about us." She said, cutting him off neatly. 

"And I'm a good bit older than you are,". He said. You have no idea how much.

"I care about that even less." There was defiance in her eyes, that same look she had when ever he wanted her to do something for her own good. He loved that look so much, but he could hardly allow that to sway him.

"Belle, to the best of my knowledge, you've never been with anyone before," he said finally, as gently as he could manage, hoping it would be easier if he just said it. 

"That is why...before..." she said after a moment, clearly thinking about what he said, what it meant. 

"Among other things," he said, omitting everything, including how wrong it would have been in their world. 

"Did you not want...?" Belle asked cautiously. 

"Every moment of every day, but things were difficult. Belle, you...worked for me. I didn't want to hold anything, any power over you, not that way. Besides, I couldn't believe that you..." He stopped, unsure what to say. There was never a good way to say that he couldn't believe that she would want him, even if she did love him, even though they both knew it was True Love. Oh, he tried to deny it, tried so hard he had locked her in a dungeon, certain it was a trick. The problem with that was the very nature of the magic. Everyone knew that you couldn't trick True Love; it was a different kind of magic, a kind that only happened between two people who both felt it. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't forget that her kiss almost broke his curse. 

Once he had calmed himself, regained control, he had realised that there was only one thing that was more dangerous that the possibility that he would lose control again. If anyone knew, if anyone believed that she could love Rumplestiltskin, that what was between them was True Love, she would be in danger. Belle could be a weapon in the hands of his enemies, and in danger he thought. He tried to justify it as he turned her from his castle with his cold words, that she would be safe. By turning her out, he thought, everyone who needed to would be convinced that he cared nothing for her. Then there was the curse, the need to keep his power long enough for Regina to activate it and for it to take him to find his son. He had thought, as much as he had allowed himself to, that perhaps, after the curse, after he found Baelfire, that he would try to find her, to apologise if she would allow it. The rest of the time he soothed himself with the thought of her finding someone who was truly worthy of her, not an old broken monster. 

"You couldn't believe that I loved you?" she said. 

"It was pretty hard to believe, yes. I am old, lame, and not a particularly nice m...man," he stopped himself at the last moment. She never did like him calling himself a monster, and that was not a fight that he wanted to have again right this moment. "And even if I could, the thought that you would want...that you would want me. I am hardly..." he paused, trying to think of a reference. "Prince Charming," he said finally. 

"You think you are uglier than you are. Actually, I think you are quiet handsome. Distinguished," she added with a smile as she brushed a hand over his cheek, which he realised must be getting quite bristly by now. The words she had said so long ago to him echoed again in his mind. "We will just have to start slow," Belle told him, smiling, as if she was the one who knew what she was doing all along. "Will you kiss me, please?"

Just one kiss; what could it hurt? After all, he had waited almost thirty years to feel her lips against his again. He had lived on the memories of that one kiss for so very long. What could it hurt, here in Storybrooke, in a land without magic where the kiss could not break his curse? True love had power here, but even it was very limited, very muted. Technically this wasn't actually a land of no magic, just a land of extremely little magic, so little that even he couldn't access it. Here True Love could only manage a very little, like waking Charming, but that was nothing compared to breaking the curse of the Dark One. He had Belle, and if he lost her again, once the curse was broken, could he really deny himself this? Looking down into those blue eyes that had haunted his dreams, he knew what his answer would be. 

Carefully Rumplestiltskin set aside his tea cup and turned to Belle. Just one taste. He leaned over pulling her closer to him, bringing his other arm up to cup her cheek, caressing the side of her face. She looked deep into his eyes and he was lost. He moved his lips to hers, praying that he could do this right. But Belle's lips were parted slightly and he couldn't stop himself from dipping inside to taste her. She was completely responsive, opening to him, moaning softly against him. One of her hands came up and stroked his long hair. Rumplestiltskin was lost to the pleasure of the kiss and somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew he should stop. 

The ringing of his cell phone from the bedside table broke them reluctantly apart. It was probably for the best; he knew that. However, it didn't mean that he wasn't going to take it out on whoever dared to interrupt them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this has taken so long, awkward conversations are awkward to write too. Thanks to Lauren, my beta for all the help, and everyone who has commented or left kudos. More real soon.


	34. And More

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The interuptions explained.

Sidney Glass knew he was taking a huge risk, in more ways than one. He had been awake most of the night, weighing his options. After he had seen Emma at Granny's, he had taken himself home and tried to prepare himself and his house for the cold, the way his neighbours had been doing all day. He knew he was behind and was hoping the work would give him something to take his mind off his predicament. Unfortunately, clearing away snow and bringing in firewood left his mind free to go in circles, and they were all circling the same point. Regina had gotten him into this. The problem was, she wouldn't get him out of it. There was no way he could convince her to intervene between he and Gold. She was too busy planning the next stage of her battle against Emma Swan and against Mary-Margaret Blanchard for some reason to give much of a care about his precarious position. He'd never understood her apparent hatred of the harmless if slightly insipid school teacher.

He'd called her right after Emma had released him to tell her about what he had found, or rather failed to find, at Gold's house. She should have been happy when he told her there was no sign of a girl or anyone else but Gold inhabiting the house. Instead Regina had railed at him for getting caught, called him incompetent, and then insisted on a recitation of everything he had seen. She had even gone so far as to suggest he had screwed up by failing to explore the cellar before she had reconsidered the thought, mumbling something under her breath and telling him to just go home. Now he had two days to do little other than think about it. He knew the next stage of Regina's plan. Already she had him worming his way into Emma's confidence with a couple of little and only slightly useful bits of information; just enough to gain her trust, not enough to hurt Regina. But that had been disrupted when he was caught breaking into Gold's home. Just because nothing could be proven didn't mean that Emma would trust him. There was no way that she was going to buy that he was looking for dirt on Gold on his own. 

After an hour of this particularly fruitless mental merry go round, Sidney picked up his cell phone. Maybe if he called Regina, explained to her about his concerns, she would do something. The call went straight to voicemail; always a bad sign. When Regina was concerned about something, or needed something, she had always answered his calls. That left him with two options: to go over to her house and talk to her, or to give up and throw himself on Gold's pretty much nonexistent mercy. 

Sidney looked at himself in the mirror in his front hall. For some reason, it wasn't something he did often; in fact he was somewhat shy of mirrors, though why exactly eluded him. What he saw neither pleased nor displeased him. He was a man of middle years, and middling attractiveness, he supposed. But for some reason he had lost his heart to Regina a very long time ago, and he had been tied to her ever since. Perhaps it was time to reconsider that? The Mayor only had enough room in her life for one person, maybe two if you counted her son, who he was pretty sure she loved (in her own way). Looking in the mirror he felt something, a strange sense of being in the wrong place, as if he should be the one looking out of the mirror at the world...and where did that come from? Putting the strange sensation down to too much drink yesterday, combined with not enough good sleep, he grabbed his outdoor gear and left the house.

Unfortunately his trip to the Mayor's was even more fruitless than he had expected. Regina had been in a bad mood, which was never a good start. She had called him spineless and told him in no uncertain terms that Gold was his problem. After all, he was the one that had gotten caught. Besides, she had told him, her relationship with the pawnbroker (she had started to call him something else, which made Sidney wonder, not for the first time what the relationship between her and the man was) was always delicate, now more than ever, and she didn't need to damage it further. "Whether I like it or not, I might just need him right now," she had told him with a look of disgust. But the implications were clear enough. She needed Gold more than she needed him, more than she had ever needed him. He'd walked home through the darkened streets, his mood matching the world around him: cold, dark and bleak. 

Sidney had spent most of the rest of the night trying to sleep between bouts of facing some very unpleasant truths that he had been avoiding for a very long time. He hadn't been lying when he told Emma that Regina was using him; he had known that in the back of his mind for a long time, possibly from the beginning, but he'd been unable or unwilling to accept it. Now he had to deal with the consequences of his actions, and hers. Perhaps, if he came clean, Gold would at least let him get out of town. Surely knowing what Regina was looking for and why, or at least as much as he had guessed, as usual she had told him very little but he was a newsman, would be worth that much? 

By the time the grey light of dawn had crawled into his window, he had managed about three hours of sleep, made his decision, and was debating exactly when to make the phone call. Neither he, nor anyone that he knew of, could have said if Gold was an early riser. He was sometimes in his shop quite early, sometimes extremely late, though he kept at least ostensibly normal business hours. But it was well known around town that if you wanted to find him, he was almost always there. But Sidney had a pretty good idea that looking for him at the shop on a Sunday when there was no power would do him no good. Instead, he picked up his cell phone. He had Gold's cell number, having acquired it while chasing some facts (or rather trying to dig up some dirt) on a particular deal. Gold wasn't exactly the type to embrace a lot of modern technology, but he had it. With the phone wires down with the electrics, and him not having the man's home number, it was the best option. He was hardly going to go to his house unannounced. That had a good chance of getting him shot.

"Gold," he answered the phone in one clipped tone, wanting to make it clear to whoever was calling him at...he found the clock on the bedside table...8:00 on a Sunday morning had best have a good reason, or else a properly made up will. Rumplestiltskin knew he should be grateful. The interruption, while most certainly unwelcome, had served to cool his blood enough to regain control. He had been a fool to think that kissing her would be so easy. Yet, she snuggled into his shoulder, having given the phone her own hard look. Belle hadn't been ready for it to end either, and it made his shriveled heart shudder in his chest while he waited for the victim on the other end of the phone to respond. 

"Mr. Gold, er... It's Sidney, Sidney Glass. I hope I didn't wake you," the magic mirror said with more deference than he had ever heard out of the man, in either world. Something had happened; something had turned, he could feel it. Perhaps the love sick genie was finally cured? But it wouldn't do to give his thoughts away. 

"This had best be important, Glass," he growled just a little. Belle gave him a sharpish look. He had told her who the man was, and like him, she was wondering what he was doing calling them at all, much less early on a Sunday morning. 

"It is. I have some important information for you."

"What could you possibly have to say that I would be interested in? Something that your mistress wants you to tell me, perhaps?"

"My..." the man gulped on the other end of the phone. "This is nothing..."

"Come now, Glass, everyone in town knows that you are and always have been Regina's lapdog. Or has she finally kicked you from your place under her table?" His tone was cruel and menacing, and Belle tugged at his arm, frightened by his tone and expression, though they weren't directed at her. Giving her a gentle smile, he ran his hand softly down her back, pulling her closer against him in reassurance while he relished the feel of her safe against him.

"I...this isn't about my relationship with Regina, or not...I need to see you. You want to know about the break in; I'm willing to talk," Sidney said. Gold could hear the quiver in his voice and felt the anticipation. Yes, it had finally happened; the worm had finally turned. This was definitely one more nail, one more step closer to the downfall of Regina and her curse. But it wouldn't do to let the man think he was over eager. 

"Very well," he said simply. "Talk."

"Not over the phone," the man said. It was well known that Gold wasn't one to make deals on the phone. "When and where can we meet?" 

"If you think I am inviting you to my home, again..."

"No, not at all. Besides, it would look a little strange if I was seen, after..."

"Exactly. I need to check on the shop today. Be there at 10:30," Gold said in a voice that offered no deviations and no compromises. 

"But how..."

"Come in the back door; no one will notice you. And Glass?" he asked. 

"Yes?"

"Be there. I'll not wait." With those last words, he clicked the phone off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my beta Lauren, and to all the people who keep reading and commenting. The comments keep the muse happy and with me.


	35. Pieces of a heart

"What did he want?" Belle asked cautiously. She didn't trust the man, didn't trust anyone who would break into their...into Richard's house, she amended in her head; though their conversation, not to mention what had just almost happened made her think that perhaps she was not wrong. He had said more than once that he wished for her to consider this her home. Still, there was Richard's manner. She had never known him to be so cold, so nasty. It was enough to make her shiver, and he wrapped his arms tighter around. Then he smiled, and the calculated expression seemed to melt from his face leaving the man she knew, or was starting to. It made her wonder if that was the masque, what the rest of the world saw. Perhaps that was why he thought he was a monster, because he showed the world such an unpleasant demeanor. 

"Pretty much exactly what I expected him to want, or rather what I expected if he finally realised that Regina wouldn't lift a finger to protect him from me. He wants to tell me what I already know, why Regina wanted him to break into our house. It seems he has finally figured out exactly how much she is using him, and that she has no intention of starting a war with me to protect him." The look on his face had darkened again, speaking of something she didn't want to think to deeply about and leaving her wondering at the changes.

"Why does he fear you? I mean, I know he broke into your house but...You wouldn't actually hurt him, would you?" she asked, a little concerned. She didn't like the casual way he talked about people being afraid of him, especially since she had never seen him be other than gentle with her. 

"Belle, I told you that I was...not well liked," he said, leaving out the m word. "I have a reputation for ruthlessness that is well deserved. I won't apologise for that, and I especially won't apologise for doing whatever is necessary to protect you. Perhaps..." he said, releasing his hold on her and turning away just a little. 

Belle could tell he was reconsidering, trying to pull away like he had done before. Perhaps he wasn't the nicest man in the world, perhaps there was a dark side in him, she thought. But there was also good in him. She certainly couldn't fault him for wanting to protect her; how could she? He just needs someone to believe in him, she thought. Rather than pull away, she burrowed closer to him, wrapping her arms more tightly around him. "Perhaps they just don't know you?" She suggested. 

"Oh, I am fairly certain they know..."

"Exactly what you want them to know, which is nothing. Why do you want people to be afraid of you?" 

"I don't," Gold said. "It..." he paused; he knew that wasn't the truth and so did Belle. "It's safer. If no one gets close, no one can betray you," he said. The honesty was painful, but when had Belle ever been one to settle?

"I won't betray you," she told him. "You know that, right?" 

Gold looked down into her eyes and felt his soul twist in pain. He knew, he had always known if he had just trusted himself, trusted the man and not the monster. She never would, never could betray him. "I know, love. I just, I have a hard time trusting. No matter what you think, I'm not a good man."

"So you say," Belle told him, smiling at him with wide blue eyes. "But I believe in you; you are good to me. It's a start." He couldn't argue with her. There was no way to tell her that it was also an end. He couldn't bring himself to trust the rest of the world; not now, maybe not even after the curse was broken. But that was for another day. 

"Perhaps; still, I have to go and deal with Sidney Glass."

"What are you going to do with him?" Belle asked. She could feel him slipping away from her and their warm cocoon, though she knew intellectually that the two of them staying in bed all day wouldn't be either practical, or in keeping with their (well, her) plan of taking their relationship slowly. Earlier she had been just as out of control as he was, and just as reluctant to part. But she could only feel so sorry for Mr. Glass, after all. What had he expected, breaking into the house like that?

"I haven't decided," Gold told her. "It depends on what he has to tell me. I'm not inclined to harm him, but I'll not let it go, Belle; I can't. He broke in here, he scared you and if he'd found you, he would have put you back in danger, and I can't let that stand. No one will hurt you again," he said. 

"I know that you feel you have to protect me," Belle told him. "I understand that. But please, don't hurt him; don't hurt anyone in my name. I couldn't bear it, and I couldn't bear it if you got in trouble. If they take you away from me, what do I have?" she asked. 

Leave it to my Belle to be both kind and practical, he thought fondly. "I won't hurt him," he promised, carefully. "But I'm not going to let him get off easily either. I can't. But if he has information that will help me with what Regina is planning...it's enough." He didn't add that the joy and satisfaction of Sidney Glass crawling to him after Regina left him out to dry was more than enough to satisfy at least some of his desire for revenge. The former genie had never been anything other than a pawn, and he wasn't inclined to kill a pawn if it still had use, as long as it stayed away from the one thing that he held dear. "Now, I suppose if I am to be at the shop in time, we should get out of this bed."

"I don't want to," Belle said, with just a hint of petulance before it turned into a brilliant smile, the one that always made him feel as if the very air had turned hot. "But I suppose we must. You won't be gone long today will you?" she asked as she pulled herself off him reluctantly, slipping her feet out from under the comforter and into the slippers that lay on her side of the bed. Gold was already dragging himself up and handing her the borrowed robe as he picked up his own.

"I have no intention of, why?" he asked, picking up his cane. 

"I worry when you are away, especially when you are meeting with someone that..." she paused and bit her lip. It occurred to him for the first time, that she was just as worried that Glass would hurt him as she was that he would hurt Regina's pet. 

"I will be fine; sweetheart. Sidney is a journalist, not exactly a man to come after me physically. Beyond that, I just need to check on the condition of the shop, perhaps pick up some food? Would you like something from Granny's?" he asked. She was putting things back on the tea tray, her back to him. "What's wrong Belle? I will be fine, I promise." 

"What if something happens to you? I'm afraid." This was something new, or he thought it was. So far she had been fine when he went to the shop, or at least he thought she had been. She had always seemed happy when he got home, but he'd thought nothing more of it than being alone in the house. But his Belle was brave; she wouldn't give in to fear easily. Still, this place, he realised was in some ways just as much of a cage as her cell beneath the hospital, though better appointed, and with amenities. There had to be a solution, some way of reassuring her. 

"I will be fine, sweetheart, but let me think of something." She nodded slightly and started to take the tea tray downstairs while he stood lost to his thought. 

For one thing, perhaps it was time that he let Dove know she was there. His man of all work was completely loyal, had been for longer than he cared to think about. He kept his own counsel, actually he rarely spoke at all, having been born mute in the Enchanted Forest. He'd not been a deal, exactly. Rumplestiltskin had found him abandoned at the edge of the Endless forest one day, half starved and near beaten to death. The Enchanted Forest hadn't always been a kind place, especially for a child who was different. He'd never been one for charity, or not since he became the Dark One, but he wasn't going to leave the boy where he found him, so he'd healed his injuries and dropped him off in the village near his castle with a widow who needed a bit of help around the place and never had children (and never asked him though he knew she was tempted). He'd also given him a voice, but that was merely for convenience, he told himself. The widow was the village healer and well versed in herb knowledge, and Rumplestiltskin traded with her for some of his potion ingredients. She'd called the boy 'Dove' for his soft spoken ways, since he never spoke of his past at all. The sorcerer had told himself it was only expeditious. It wasn't until three or four years later than he had even thought of the boy except when he delivered things from the village. Everyone found it easier to just ask Dove, who wasn't afraid of the Dark Castle, than to make the trip themselves, and after the old woman's death and replacement by her apprentice who was married with children of her own, he had more or less gradually moved into stables of the Dark Castle, making himself useful. Rumplestiltskin had tried to ask once, though he wasn't any better about talking. "All magic has a price, Sir," he'd said. "Just paying mine over time." They'd never spoken of it again. The man didn't seem to want another life, and when they woke up in Storybrooke nothing had changed. 

The other thought he had was that perhaps he should ask young Ruby Lucas if she would come around, or for her number, in case Belle needed to talk to someone, someone not himself. But those were things to be dealt with some time other than today. Right now, there was Sidney to prepare for. He looked through his closet. As much as he wanted to follow Belle downstairs right now when she was worried about him, he needed to minimize the amount of stair climbing he did for a couple of days, in deference to his leg. Frustrated, he dragged a formidable wool suit from the closet and started to put himself together. Today he was dressed to intimidate, even more than usual.

 

By the time Gold had got himself put together for the day, having had to both clean up the mess he'd forgotten about in the bathroom and shave himself in a broken mirror (damn his temper, and the lack of magic in this town), he could smell breakfast. 

Belle was smiling when he entered the kitchen. It seemed that whatever potential discomfort came from this morning's little contretemps had settled itself, though he wasn't sure how they were going to continue. Certainly she had no intention of leaving his bed, and without the heat, he hadn't the heart (or the desire) to have her return to her own room. But this morning had been entirely too close. How bad could it possibly be? the voice in the back of his mind whispered, the voice that he knew all too well belonged to the part of him that he swore would never touch her. But she wants it as well, the voice whispered. She doesn't know what she wants, he told himself firmly. How can she, when she is not herself? That is one mistake I am not going to make, he growled at the voice in his mind, before turning himself away from the turmoil in his head to the woman before him. 

 

At promptly 10:00, Mr. Gold left his house, carefully driving the big back Cadillac over the fairly well-plowed streets. The sky was overcast, grey mixed with black, making him wonder if they were about to get a return of the storm. Of course, the cold and the unusual exercise made his leg, usually a reliable weather detector, not terribly useful at the moment. It had been aching nonstop for the past three days. Today, snow or no snow, it wasn't going to make the least difference, nothing was making it any better. Rather than focus on things he could do nothing about, he drove into the center of town. He had plenty of time for his meeting, and checking up on the shop, but he also had a grocery list from Belle tucked carefully in his pocket (he'd probably save it, just because she wrote it) and a promise to bring back food from Granny's for them both. He had also to call Dove. The sooner he dealt with that situation, the better. Belle needed someone to protect her, just in case. He had always been about the contingencies, though he had been a little slow this time, wanting to have her to himself just for a little while. 

At least she had known the man, back in the old world. He had found Dove more than once in a corner of the kitchen when he was doing something around the place, with a cup of tea and a snack. He didn't appear to talk to her any more than he talked to the Dark One himself, but he seemed to enjoy her company. He didn't think that Dove had ever got into the habit of actually talking to anyone. Then there was Ruby Lucas; she had the potential to be a friend to Belle, but he wasn't entirely sure about that. It was something for him to consider later. 

The shop looked as it usually did. Apparently Dove had got out and dealt with the front; at least the sidewalk was as clear as was possible with the lack of room to actually put the snow, though there was only room for his car to park in the limited space beside the shop. Looking down Main Street, it was a pretty typical problem. Most of the cars that had been parked along the street were still there, bits of the vehicles showing above the piles where the snow plow had buried them even more than the snow had. He parked the car and made his way with care to the back door. The snow had been cleared and the walk nicely salted, good for preventing injury. The door lock gave him a small amount of trouble as the mechanism was stuck, but he managed to get it turned and let himself into the back room. 

It was cold as expected and of course the lights weren't working, but beyond that everything was as it should be. He didn't bother with the sign or the front door, having no intention of being here any longer than necessary. Still he made his way to look out the front windows and down the street. Storybrooke looked much the same as it ever did. Granny's diner was doing a brisk business as they had a generator, though he could see that she was using it only for the minimums by the candle light flickering in the windows. Generators were good, but as they needed fuel, only for so long. The sidewalks were still being swept by those shop owners who were bothering to be open for business, the hardware store, the drug store, and the grocery for which he was grateful. Laying in supplies was his next stop after he dealt with Mr. Glass (and really, could Regina not have found a more transparent name?)

In deference to the cold, Gold left his coat on, as he found a lantern to light and pulled out a ledger to pass the time. Miner's day was coming up soon, as was the lease on the convent and as he did every year, he rather hoped that the nuns would fail to come up with the necessary money to keep themselves with a roof over their heads. Though he doubted it. With the storm, if they were smart, and as much as he hated her, he knew the blue fairy at least was, they would have broken them out early, called it a public benefit. Bloody fairies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the lovely reviews, glad people are holding on. Also special thanks to Lauren, my beta, who managed to do this in the midst of all the other things going on. I didn't mean it to get this long, but I am afraid it got away from me. Enjoy.


	36. What the Mirror Knew

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few answers and maybe in one or two spots, a 'put the coffee down while reading' warning.

There was little in the ledger to occupy him and he was starting to wish that he hadn't actually given the bloody man that much time. He had a few repairs that were laying on his work surface, but they were all too delicate to work on with his gloves. Instead he went to the front of the shop, finding a particular piece where it sat on the shelf behind the counter and moved it to the back room, placing it to the side on the work surface. Nothing too obvious. The curse was stretched too far already. It was time to help it along, let a few pieces make their way back into the correct hands. Gold had already checked that the electrics were properly turned off, though he knew Dove would have done already, still it was a habit, and besides he needed something to occupy himself. He had told the man 10:30 and he would stay until exactly 10:30, not a minute earlier, not a minute later. He thought of calling Dove, but that was a conversation he didn't want Sidney to walk in on. Especially as he knew that the slightest hint of information that would bring him back to Regina's feet, he would go. Loyalty to the queen was too old a habit. 

With nothing else to occupy himself for the next...three minutes, he settled carefully back on his work stool, stretched his bad leg out in front of him and considered exactly what he was going to do about Sidney Glass. Regina would most surely make sure that something unfortunate happened to him if she knew the genie had come to him for help. After what happened to Graham, though no one save him knew the actual details, Rumplestiltskin knew that Regina wouldn't hesitate to end the man if she thought he had betrayed her. He wouldn't be surprised if Sidney didn't suspect her in the man's death. The sheriff's fascination with his new deputy was hardly a secret, and his relationship with the Mayor was only a slightly better kept one. He wasn't stupid after all, and he had been her toy for too long. It was fortunate for him that genies, like all magical beings, weren't subject to the same sorts of magic that allowed her (and him as well) to take hearts. Otherwise it could get ugly, Sidney coming to him for help. If that was, in fact, what he was looking for. He considered that this might be an attempt by the Queen to insinuate the damned man in his good graces. But that really wasn't worth considering. Everyone knows I don't have good graces, he thought, the high pitched giggle of his darker self joining in on the internal laughter.

Before he could become more distracted, there was a very light tap at the back door, and he could see Sidney Glass peering in though the slightly opened curtains. The man looked anxious, as if he hadn't slept well in days, and the thought pleased Rumplestiltskin in his Mr. Gold guise to no end. Desperate souls, of course, would always come to him for a solution; it was his stock in trade. And it looked like this one had finally gotten desperate enough. Schooling his features into their most forbidding, he rose to his full height (not considerable, but he had learned long ago to make the best with what he had), and called out an imperious "come," at the man outside. It wouldn't do for Sidney to get the wrong idea. 

"Mr....Gold," he said cautiously as he crept into the room cautiously, like a dog who expected to be beaten. 

If the man had a tail, it would be between his legs, the darkness whispered. Be careful he doesn't piss himself in submission, hell of a mess. Gold pushed back at the dark voice. Giving it a little bit of leeway here was one thing, but he could feel the urges that came with it, and as much as the darkness wanted to get out, that much more he knew he couldn't let it. It had been caged too long, and he still needed Sidney too much to give into his baser instincts. It didn't help that the darkness was just as overprotective of his Belle as he was. "You called me, Sidney," Dearie, he added unspoken, resisting carefully the old showman's moves that served him so well in the old world. In this world, the cold, blank, facade did more. "You have five minutes to convince me that what you have to say is worth my time," he said, looking down at his watch, gold like his name. "Starting now."

"I..." Sidney started, then stopped. He had spent most of the night and all of the morning rehearsing what he was going to say and now he had completely lost it. Before this. he had never had the deep fear of Gold that most of the town did for some inexplicable reason. Now he could see it, the danger that lurked behind the smirk and for just a moment his mind went completely blank. He closed his eyes for a second, took a deep breath and began. "I want to confess, I was the one that broke into your house. I wasn't there to take anything though; I'm not a thief."

"Not a thief, no, merely a house breaker; this is getting better. But I knew that and we both know that I knew, so..." he said inclining his head for the other man to continue. 

"It wasn't my idea," the magic mirror said. He could no longer meet the other man's eyes; instead he was looking around the work shop. He'd never been behind the curtain before, and suddenly he wished that he was just what he appeared to be, a newspaper reporter, perhaps doing a human interest story on Gold and the delicate repair work laid out on the work surface. 

"Tell me," Gold said sharply. "Tell me what you know, and we will see what kind of...arrrangement we can come to."

"I want a deal," Sidney said. When Gold said nothing, merely inclined his head, the man continued. "I give you this information, and there will be no criminal charges?"

"As nothing was actually stolen or broken, I see no need to report it to our lovely sheriff. Is that all?" he asked mildly, though they both knew it wasn't. Time to get down to the meat of the issue, and the sooner the better. 

"I want protection."

"From me?" Gold said mildly, with an innocence that no one would believe.

"Not just you, the who; that comes with the rest of the information. I need to be safe. At least for a little while, just until I can make some plans. I'm going to leave Storybrooke for good, but the arrangements...well, I'd like to live long enough to make them."

"I can promise you I won't do you any harm," he said, looking down at his leg as if the man was actually going to believe that he wasn't completely capable of doing him harm regardless of his... disability. "Nor will anyone harm you on my behalf," he finished in response to the look of disbelief on Sidney's face. "Now, if you will tell me the rest, I will see what can be done about this protection you seem to think you need." 

Sidney Glass was feeling more exhausted than he remembered feeling in...well, a very long time. Once he had Gold's word (and if he knew anything with complete certainty, he knew that Gold never went back on his word), he told him everything, about Regina's urging him to break in, about how he was almost positive she had also had the shop and his cabin searched as well. "She was looking for a girl; someone she thought you were hiding away. She didn't tell me exactly why she wanted to know, or why it matters but..."

"But you have some ideas?" Gold asked. The Genie had always been love sick; not stupid, perhaps he did have something more to trade. 

"I..." he said, distracted briefly as his eyes fell on the small brass lamp beside the work surface. Something familiar about it. He shook his head; now was not the time to become distracted. "I know that something happened at the hospital, and I also know that she hired a couple of men that do odd jobs for her to search the woods. Did you know there is a special ward at the hospital? It's technically a private ward, for those needing...more serious inpatient care than can be provided by Dr. Hopper; people who, most probably should be transferred to Portland or Bangor, assuming they actually belong there at all."

"Interesting, and what makes this facility so suspicious?" Gold asked. Yes, the genie could live a while longer. 

"Two things, actually. One, that Dr. Hopper knows nothing about it. I asked once, in a round about way," he said, some of his old pride at his skill coming through.

For the first time since he walked in the door, Gold could see the keene newspaper man, the keen intellect that had been hidden away, or perhaps lost beneath his unrequited love for the Queen. "And the second?"

"The door is accessed through a secure keypad hidden in the back of a storage closet?"

"Yes, I think that is highly suspicious as well. But why did she think that I had this girl she was looking for? Do you know who she even is? I've hardly the reputation as a ladies man." That was true enough; Sidney had tried hard enough to dig something up. Married once, widowed long ago, and to all appearances not interested in changing his status; that was Gold.

"She said the woman was important, that's all. But she did say one thing..." he paused. This was going to be the hardest part. Sidney knew, perhaps better than anyone, save Gold himself, how ruthless Regina could be, but it had shocked even him at the time. Also, if the pawnbroker had any idea who the woman was, it could very well anger him, which could end badly. The photographs came back to him, the ones he had taken of Moe French after his encounter with Gold. Before that he wouldn't have thought Gold capable of that level of physical violence, not personally. Still, he had made a deal, and just as he knew that the man always kept his word, he knew too that trying to get out of a deal with him, or not being completely honest, would make his situation considerably worse. 

"Get on wit' it, man," Gold said, his accent pronounced enough to make an impression. It was not a good sign.

"Regina said that it would be better for her to die in the woods and lose a bargaining chip, than for you to find her. The only pity was that she would lose her best..." Sidney stopped. Gold had gone completely still, and in the dim light in the back of the shop, just for a moment, it seemed that his eyes had gone completely black. For just a moment, he wondered if he had actually crossed a line from which there was no returning. "Mr. Gold?" he questioned, not certain exactly what to do.

"I think I have the general outline," he said finally, his voice colder than even the weather. Then slowly he smiled. "Thank you, Sidney. I believe that I know how help you." 

"What do you want from me?" 

"Oh, you have already provided what I need. Still, I might have a small task for you..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to all who have kept up, read and commented. Special thanks to my beta Lauren for helping me wade through it.


	37. Killing Birds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Gold plans a little chaos.

Gold smiled as the door closed behind Sidney Glass. It was a smile that everyone in town would have recognised if they weren't cursed, and at least half of them would have fled from. Plans were forming in his mind, and had been almost since the genie started to speak. Sidney can live, Gold decided somewhere in the middle of his explanation. It took little enough to let him off the hook, after all his information well balanced his part in it all. Regina...well that was another story. He had promised Belle that he wouldn't go after her physically, and he would not. That did not mean he wasn't about to wreak havoc on her cosy little world. 

This was going to be amusing, and the imp in the back of his mind was cackling madly. Just a few more details that needed tending to, then groceries and Belle. Of course there were one or two details to tend to, and he knew just where to start. 

Like Regina, he had taken certain precautions to insure that his own private stockpile of things had made it over with them; potions, magical items, bits and bobs and memories, all carefully preserved for a rainy day, items guaranteed to bring people back to themselves. Not all at once, but the pressure on the curse would be absolutely exquisite, and of course it would sow all manner of confusion. The thought filled him with a thrill that was almost physical, similar to the one he felt with Belle this morning, though darker, much darker. 

First it was time for a special piece, one that he had been saving for just this occasion. After all, he was going to need a bit of help, for one thing and another. He went into the back room, bypassing the safe that everyone knew, or assumed that he had, for the one that absolutely no one knew of, most especially Regina. Though over the years, every chance she got (and he made sure there weren't many) she had searched for it. She wasn't a stupid woman; she knew that he had his equivalent of her vault. The difference was that he knew exactly where her vault was, while she had never found his. 

He opened the door carefully and moved a few things until he uncovered what he was looking for. Gold pulled out the box and opened it. Inside was a medallion, neither large nor small, a protective amulet on a gold chain. It belonged to his man, Dove. Rumplestiltskin had given it to him after an unfortunate incident with some of Regina's men, when she sent them to try to waylay his servant, never a good idea. It served two purposes, actually. The first was protective, it prevented the use of magic on or against the wearer. Meaning that should Regina get her hands on him, she couldn't take his heart and use him to spy on his master. He remembered demonstrating that particular feature on the man when he gave it to him. It was one of the few times he thought he had ever seen Dove unnerved. 

The second was purely psychological; it marked him as clearly as a livery or a brand. People were reluctant to interfere with someone in the Dark One's service for fear of his Master. As magic kept the medallion on and the chain closed, trying to remove it was impossible. No one was going to kill his man and say they didn't know. As much as he knew Dove hadn't his memory anymore than anyone else in town did, he would remember that the medallion was once his. That was easy enough. It was time to give it back to him and unlike others, he would have help when the memories started to return. 

With that task finished, he made a phone call to Dove and started looking for a cardboard box. Might as well take advantage of his need to kill seven birds with one stone. 

It didn't take long, perhaps fifteen minutes later. Gold had finished his task, called an order in to Granny's diner, (or more specifically, Mrs. Lucas' cell phone, since landlines were still down), and was contemplating the grocery list Belle had given him when there was a deferential knock at the back door. "Enter," he called, knowing exactly who was there. 

"Sir," Dove said as he came into the room followed by Leroy. The dwarf looked like he had been rousted from his bed and had a sour expression on his face, but then it was not particularly any more sour than usual. 

"Gold, what do you want? I was up late with the plows, might be again. Dove here says you have some work for me though." The dwarf growled out out him. He had been working hard for the last two days, with the blizzard, and had been looking forward to sleeping at least until evening unless it started up again. But it was a fact that while it didn't happen often, when Gold needed something done, he paid well, or at least fairly. Never hurt to put a little extra aside. 

"My cabin up in the woods," he said without preamble, picking up something out of the cardboard box sitting on the table, grimacing and putting it back in the box. 

"Yeah, what about it?" the dwarf asked, his eyes drawn to the object that Gold had just dismissed, an old fashioned German beer stein. It's kind of pretty, he thought. Hold a lot of beer too.

"I need the road cleared. I want the cabin checked on; make certain there is no storm damage." 

"No offense, but why today?" the dwarf asked, flicking his eyes away from the stein, back in the box with it's companions. 

"Because I want it?" Gold said, and Leroy wondered suddenly exactly when he started asking questions of the man; after all, his money was green and he was never slow to pay. "If there is damage, I want it dealt with sooner, rather than later, especially if this storm decides to come back."

"Makes sense. There's a plow attachment on my truck already, so that's no problem as far as I can see," he shrugged. "But it's town property; if the mayor..."

"If our dear mayor objects, have her see me, I will be glad to reimburse the town for the wear and tear to the plow, and of course, I will pay you for your time and suitable gas money." 

"That, yeah. Uh, you want me to do the parking lot while I'm doin'?" the stocky man asked him. 

"That won't be necessary, no where to put the snow in any case," Gold said, rising slowly, and picking up the box. Leroy couldn't help his eyes following it. He was actually wondering if he should or could ask Gold what he would sell them for. "Just see that it gets done today. These are worthless," he said as he turned to Dove. "Get rid of them." His face twisted in a grimace of disgust as if his time had been wasted. 

"Uh, you just going to throw them out?" the dwarf asked. Leroy was not sure why he wanted to know, but waste not want not, right?

"Well, their not any particular good to me; I found the box while I was pulling out the emergency lantern this morning. I'm not even sure where they came from," Gold said, carelessly. "There are seven of them, so not even a complete set. Why do you ask?"

"No reason," he said, backing off quickly. One thing he had learned long ago was not to seem to keene around Mr. Gold. 

"If you want, take them, assuming you don't want them, Dove?" he addressed his man directly. The other man only shook his head. "All yours then, Leroy." 

"What do you want in exchange?" Never let it be said the dwarf wasn't cautious. 

Too much work, his inner imp growled, but Gold's expression never changed. "Consider it a down payment on your work this afternoon, an advance, if you like."

"Not going to take it out of my pay?" He asked, still suspicious. 

"Not if you get the work done and in a timely fashion," Gold said, his voice a clear dismissal. Leroy decided that was good enough for him. It was always best dealing with Gold if everything was spelled out. He didn't need a paper contract or anything. He knew from experience that the canny pawnbroker would do exactly as he agreed on, no more no less. Nodding to Dove and telling him he'd meet him at Granny's after he picked up his truck, the maintenance man went out the door carrying the box carefully in his arms. Dove gave Gold a slightly curious look but said nothing. He simply waited while the door closed. 

"I found something that used to belong to you today as well," Gold told him, turning to the box on his work surface. "I believe you lost this," he said, holding up the medallion. For a long moment, the larger man looked at it, almost as if he expected answers from it. Then he reached out carefully and took it. 

"Thank you, Sir," he said softly, a rare smile lighting his generally expressionless face. He took the chain and put it carefully over his head before tucking it under his shirt. "It is good to have it back." 

Mr. Gold knew that the memories wouldn't start immediately. But what he did know was that regardless of how they affected him, the man was completely trustworthy. "Very well. Now, as soon as you have checked on the cabin and taken care of whatever damage there is, I will need you to handle a bit of repair work at my house."

"What will I need, sir?" he asked, mentally making a list. 

"There was a bit of an accident with the bathroom mirror; it will need replacing," Gold told him with no explanation. He was not in the habit of explaining himself to anyone. Except Belle, the dark, traitorous voice whispered in his ear. He ignored it, as he had been for a century or more, or at least he tried to. Dove didn't ask him for one either. Unlike Belle, curiosity wasn't in his nature. 

"Yes, sir. Anything else?"

"There will be another job I need to discuss with you, but I'll explain it when you've come to sort the mirror. For now, worry about the cabin."

"Very well," he said, and excused himself. With that business done, Gold took only a few moments to close up the shop. The pieces were now in play. It was time to stand back and let them make their moves. Meanwhile he had groceries and food to attend to. Looking out at the street, he decided reluctantly that walking would be his best bet. While Mr. Guiliano had hired someone to plow his parking lot (in all likelihood the same person he had), it was only partially cleared due to there being no place to put the snow. The front of Granny's was the same, the cars that were snowed in on the curb meaning there was nowhere to put new ones. Sighing heavily at the extra exercise that he most definitely didn't need right now, he returned to the back door and locked everything up before crossing the street. 

The grocers was not full; most people had stocked up as the storm hit. But there were a few people picking up odds and ends. Gold noticed almost immediately that the bin of emergency candles was empty and he wasn't surprised, nor was he surprised that the bread aisle had been decimated. Fortunately, they had bread, and Belle had requested the supplies to bake more so it was unnecessary. He'd argued with her over that but given in easily because it made her happy. He found himself more and more inclined to do so, and it might have worried him, save that Belle would never abuse that. At least there was still a small selection of veg that didn't look as though locusts had been at it.

Gold turned towards the dairy case to see if there were any eggs left when he found himself hailed. "What are you doing here?" The sharp voice of the mayor greeted him with surprise and suspicion.

"I'd think that was obvious to someone of your observational prowess, Madame Mayor," he said with a sarcastic smirk, as he held up the basket, at the moment containing only a bunch of fresh carrots, leeks and some only slightly injured looking spinach. Not that he was a fan, but Belle had wanted 'something green' (and, oh the thought that brought to mind). Regina looked at his basket suspiciously, as if trying to catalogue its contents and what information it would give her. It made him glad he'd not picked up the bread supplies yet, but beyond that, it was a fairly innocuous basket; still, he lowered it, still looking at her.

"You cook?" She said incredulously. 

"I am a man of many hidden talents," he said with an eloquent shrug. "I thought you knew that by now." The former Evil Queen gave him a disgusted look before stalking off toward the register, leaving him to handle the rest of his shopping in peace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks as always to my beta, Lauren and to all those who have kept reading. Please continue to comment, it feeds the muse.


	38. Pieces coming together.

After the grocery, Gold made his way carefully to Granny's Diner. He was already carrying a couple of carrier bags from the grocery, but walking over to the shop and back felt like too much trouble. They were doing a brisk business, though the limited menu had changed from yesterday, based entirely on what the old woman needed to use. The large generator that kept non gas powered kitchen equipment running took a lot of petrol to keep running, and he was pretty certain she was running it at minimal power, while crafting a menu around the food that would need using up quickly. The old woman had always been a good enough cook especially for relatively mundane things, and anyway, she had a better repertoire than he did. Inside, he found most people were, like him, picking up take away orders. The weather radio was sitting on the counter, reporting that the storm was coming back their way, though it had lost some of it's strength. Still there was a groan at this, the potential of having to do without power for another day was a strong possibility and people were tired of it. 

Gold was the last one in the queue, probably due to the hour. He checked his watch. He had been gone from home for two and a half hours, which was slightly longer than he had wanted to. It was unfortunate that Sidney had taken more of his time than he would have liked, but he knew it would serve him well. Distracted with his thoughts and plans, he was surprised when Ruby said his name. 

"Excuse me, I was distracted," he said stepping forward to the young woman at the register. They were the only two by the register, the diner having only a couple remaining customers all paying attention to either their food or the radio. Granny was in the kitchen, he presumed. 

"Here's your order, I hope everything is going well," she said politely but there was an undertone in her voice that he understood very well. 

"As well as can be expected, Miss Lucas," he said, voice pitched low. "Though the storm is...inconvenient." 

"Well, here is your order, I put some extra," she said quietly, low enough not to be heard, but he could see that the bag she handed him was much bigger than accounted for the take away containers. Opening the bag on pretense of checking his order, he saw another package, probably something for Belle that Ruby had been unable to find before. He was touched, though of course he would never show it, certainly not right now when they could so easily be observed. 

"Thank you, Miss Lucas," he said with a little smile, pulling out money to pay the bill. He was fond of paying for things in cash, much as in the old world he had always paid in gold. 

Ruby looked at the money he gave her, eyes widening as she made the change. But instead of accepting, he waved the money aside with a small nod and turned towards the door. Ruby acted instantly, grabbing something and scrawling something quickly down, making sure that no one saw her. "Mr Gold, you forgot your receipt," she said, handing him the slip of paper. He said nothing, but looked down at the 'receipt' and nodded in understanding before taking his leave now burdened down with even more. 

As he crossed the street, he saw Henry Mills, once again with the hatter's girl and a couple of the children he had seen yesterday. They seemed to have taken his suggestion, at least he assumed they had. They had acquired someone's large wheeled garden trolley and were checking a list as they went along the narrow space on the sidewalk. 

"Taking my advice and branching out then, Henry," Gold greeted the two of them. 

"Hey Mr. Gold," Henry said. Grace merely nodded shyly. "Yeah, we talked about it yesterday. The bigger kids are bringing fire wood in for some of the people who don't get around too well. We're picking up things."

"I wish I had known that earlier," Gold said ruefully, looking down at the heavy bags that were dragging his one arm down while he needed the other for his cane. He was making an effort to be as pleasant to the boy as he could, though honestly it wasn't much of an effort. He genuinely liked Henry, regardless of how he felt about his adopted mother. 

Henry looked at Paige and the girl nodded. Clearly they were getting this entrepreneur thing down pretty well. "Need help getting that stuff to the pawn shop?" the boy asked. 

"If it won't keep you from your rounds," the pawnbroker said. It was only a block and a half, but between groceries and food, and the overwork on his leg from yesterday (not to mention what he had put it through this morning), he was more tired that he cared to admit. "Or cost me too much." He had to keep up his reputation after all.   
Henry leaned in towards Paige and after a quick and relatively quiet conversation, he turned to Gold. "Ten dollars," the boy said. 

"Perhaps a bit steep," Gold said, but before the boy could say anything else, he added. "But considering the weather, you have a deal." Henry smiled and grabbed the bags he was handed.

"Paige can take the wagon on. We have to pick up some stuff at the drugstore, and the grocery store, and Granny's."

"Smart lad, best to do Granny's last, I have done." He crossed the street slowly, with the boy next to him. He had to admit it was well worth the money just to not have to carry anything while managing his cane in the slush. His fearsome reputation would be less damaged for hiring Henry as errand boy than it would be if he overbalanced and fell in the street, not to mention the difficulty of an injury. Belle was probably already concerned that he had been too long. He'd promised to return quickly. 

They made it to the pawnshop with minimal effort and no injury or casualty. He paid the boy, and loaded the bags into the back of the Cadillac, before sliding behind the wheel with a sigh. It was good to be going back home, back to Belle. 

He had only just opened the back door when he heard Belle coming to meet him, her feet hurried on the bare floor. The door flew open and she burst into the room. He couldn't help but smile. Gold worried, wondered what she would be like once her memory returned. But for now, how could he not take what he had been given, even though he was certain it would be ripped away soon enough. "Belle," he said, setting down the bag of take away, before allowing her to put her arms around him. "You should be careful, sweetheart. I could have been anyone, what if someone had been trying to get into the house again?"

"I saw the car from the living room window," she said. "No, I didn't open the curtains, I just peered through the crack and the sheer. I was waiting for you." The simple joy in that statement shook him more than he wanted to admit. 

"Let me...I need to get the groceries out of the car," he said pulling himself reluctantly from her embrace. He had never been that kind of monster, but dear gods, she was making it difficult. "Why don't you see what is in the bag?" 

"I hope it's the food you promised. I didn't cook anything. How...how did your business go?" She asked cautiously, worrying her lower lip with her teeth. 

"Better than I expected, actually. I think that Mr. Glass has come to see things my way." He pulled himself away from the beautiful picture she made there to get the groceries out of the car. The cold would help, some. "And while I am thinking on it," Gold said, taking the box from his pocket. He had released some of his treasures into the world, it was time and past he gave her necklace back to her. 

Belle opened the box carefully but with barely concealed excitement. "It's beautiful, you shouldn't...you've given me so much..." she said, almost in tears.

"Its hardly a gift when it was always yours," he told her, responding to her request and clasping the chain carefully around her neck. She didn't need to know that it contained a powerful protection spell, one that he had cast long ago. Belle had left it behind when she left the Dark Castle. It had been in his possession ever since. In the shop it sat in a dusty, dark corner of a case, surrounded by other less valuable pieces, inconspicuous. Now it was back around Belle's neck, and while it didn't have the memories attached to it that say, her cup did, it should help her. Besides, anything that made her smile at him like that was worth all that he had. 

"You have done this, let me get the food sorted." 

The meal was lovely. By the time he had the groceries in, Belle had everything on plates and on the table, and once again he felt guilty for the way she was taking care of him. She didn't even remember who she was or what he had done to her, but still she was taking care of him as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Ruby Lucas, bless the girl, had included a large slice of chocolate cake, probably thinking (rightly) that Belle could use it. She had also included a note with her cell number, 'just in case'. It made him feel a little better. He admitted it was in his nature to keep her locked up in his house, with only him for company. He was possessive and greedy, but Gold had realised that Belle wasn't him. She might need more than he could give her: friends, a life, something outside. He hadn't done that before, and while he knew she had been happy, still he felt the choice deeply.

"I remembered something today," she said, as she put the cake on a plate with two forks and moved her chair closer to him. Gold trembled just a little, and not from the cold. Belle had seemed fine when he came home so it couldn't be anything too bad, still, he worried, waited for the inevitable, and how she would take it. 

"What was that, my dear?" he asked, toying with his fork, hoping she would eat.

"I was brushing my hair earlier, and I remembered you doing it..."

"That was only the other night, love, it proves that your memory isn't..."he paused trying to remember what the book had said yesterday, something about there being no organic damage perhaps, but he didn't get any farther.

"No, before. The details are fuzzy, like they usually are. I was sitting in front of a fire. It wasn't the one in the living room though, I don't think. There was fire, but it was dark. You were helping me get something...out of it?" she ended questioningly.

"I remember," Gold said, once again being in a position to wonder how much he could tell her. 

"What happened?" she asked. 

He paused, unsure exactly what to say. But she was remembering, so perhaps it wouldn't be an issue? "You fell into something while you were in the garden," he said finally. "Your hair was full of a very sticky sap, and much like the other night, you were threatening to take the scissors to it."

"You like it long?" she asked with a smile, and before he could stop himself, he nodded. "Then I shall just have to be careful to stay out of things that make me want it cut it." 

"I assure you that the garden is free of that particular plant." Gold felt electricity run through him. Belle doing things because they pleased him was nothing new, but that she felt these things...He needed to slow down, but it was increasingly difficult with her trying to worm her way in, all in her innocence. She always had though, no matter what he did or tried, she ended up getting through all his carefully constructed walls.

"Oh, tell me you didn't pull it up because of my clumsiness. Surely, it isn't the plant's fault. Or did I do it in when I fell in it?"

"Neither, love. You need not fear I took my anger out on it. It just stopped growing." 

"Will you do that again?" Belle asked him, clear blue eyes looking shyly at him. "Brush my hair out."

"Are you planning on pitching yourself into something sticky again?" this time he smirked at her, he couldn't resist a little teasing. 

"No, but..." she ducked her head down a little, making it difficult to hear her. "Unless it is the only way. I...I liked the way it felt." 

Gods and demons, he cursed to himself, she is going to drive me mad without the faintest reason why. But he found himself agreeing without the slightest hesitation. It was a small enough thing, to touch her that way, more than he deserved, less than he desired. Safe enough. Inside, the imp cackled. So you keep telling yourself. 

They managed to make light conversation as they finished their food and Belle cleaned up the kitchen, refusing all of his help on the basis of all the work he had been doing. Gold stayed in the kitchen and kept her company though. He was about to suggest they retire to the other room where it was warmer when his phone buzzed, and he was forced to acknowledge the outside world. The message was from Dove, informing him that the cabin had come through fine, and that he would soon be round to fix the mirror. As usual, it was a short conversation, Dove was a man of few words.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to all the lovely readers, and thank you to those of you who have started following me on Tumblr. I will probably not be posting this over there due to the size of the bloody thing. You all know what to do by now, read, reivew, please, comments greatly appreciated, the muse needs all the help in the world.


	39. Shards

Belle sat quietly while he tended to the phone call, delicately biting her lip. She seemed as little inclined to deal with the outside world as he was, though with her it was probably fear. "Is everything alright?" she asked when he hung up. "You don't have to go anywhere...." she paused, not wanting to sound quite as frightened as she did.

"No, sweetheart. But someone is coming over."

"Someone...should I go upstairs? I can wait in the library. It's nice in there, especially as heat rises," she said quickly.

"There is no need. It is someone I want you to meet. His name is Dove, and he works for me. He is coming to fix the bathroom mirror. There is no reason to fear, Belle. I assure you, he is completely trustworthy." Of course, Belle was willing to take his word for it, she did for pretty much everything, not having much choice with her memory.

"Has he worked for you long?" Belle asked, wondering about a man that Gold trusted. Richard didn't give his trust lightly or easily. She wasn't sure exactly how she knew it, but she did. 

"It seems like forever," he said honestly. Oh, he could remember before the boy, well, man now had come, but he was a constant from before even Belle came. "Before you ask, yes, he worked for me before you...disappeared, but we were rather careful to keep our association quiet. We will just have to see." Belle nodded.

"I should get this kitchen cleaned up then," she said, standing. 

"Belle how many times..." he started but gave up. She never changed her mind once it was made up. Besides, she was nervous, and rightly so, about meeting someone new. At least this gave her something to occupy herself. Gold rose and began to help her, though she told him not to, insisting that he had done more than enough for them today. 

Harry Dove was already busy planning what he needed to do the repair work at his boss's house when Leroy dropped him off two blocks from Granny's, but closer to his own little house, a small shotgun affair that he got from Mr. Gold rent free, a perk of one of his jobs. Leroy had spent most of the trip up the cabin alternating between complaining about being woken up, and talking about some nun that he had met. The idea of Leroy completely smitten with someone was a new one on Dove, that she was a nun, well, it didn't bear thinking about. Mostly he listened, which was all his friend needed. 

He made his way to his house, grabbed his tools, and started to the hardware store. It wasn't the first time he had to replace broken glass, either at his employer's home or his shop. While it wasn't common, Mr. Gold had a temper, and when it got away from him, he tended to break things. He spared the slightest thought for what exactly it was that had irritated him enough to cause the breaking of the bathroom mirror, but then let it go. If Mr. Gold wanted to explain, he would, if not...It didn't particularly bother Dove either way. He had been working for Mr. Gold for as long as he could remember, some time during high school he thought, if he actually thought about it at all, which he rarely did. 

There had to be something wrong with his memory, he knew that and had for a long time, but there was nothing he could or would do about it. Once he had asked Mr. Gold, who had suggested his two options were Dr. Whale, who he didn't like or Dr. Hopper, who seemed a nice enough guy, but he just wasn't one for talking, preferring the company of his own thoughts. It was yet another reason he liked working for Gold, he didn't question, didn't pry. Nor was he the kind of boss that would constantly check up on him, or berate him. Not like the Mayor, who was notorious for yelling at people whether it was their fault or not. Most of the people who worked for her would have rather not, but there weren't a lot of options in a town this small. No, Gold gave him a job and nothing more was said, he expected it done, and done right, full stop. There was no middle ground, which was fine with Dove. He was a bit of a perfectionist, possibly what they called OCD, though he never found it the least bit a disorder. 

After getting the new mirror, he turned towards the large house. Walking was going to be faster, he knew. Besides, if the storm blew up again, he knew that his boss would have him drive the car home. It wasn't uncommon, and his driveway was much less likely to bury the vehicle again. 

As he approached the house, he felt a bit of a strange tingle, like a small electric shock from the necklace that Gold had given him this morning. He had never been much of a jewelry person, in fact, the only jewelry he owned was a rather nice watch that Gold had given him when his last one had been smashed in a dispute with a tenant who preferred The Rabbit Hole to going to work. But he knew the necklace, knew it was his from the moment Gold had opened the box. It was his; he had lost it, he knew that. What he didn't know was how he had gotten it, or why it was so important to him. Deciding that these thoughts were unimportant at the moment, certainly less important than getting the mirror fixed, and finding out what else Gold wanted him to do, something he clearly didn't want to discuss where anyone had even the vaguest possibility of overhearing. Looking up at the large pink house, he figured it didn't much matter;he would know soon enough.

Dove went around to the back door and knocked. Of course, he could have let himself in, had done more than once, but with the power out, there was little chance that his employer was at the shop, and he was not a man fond of surprises. After a moment, Gold opened the door and he followed him into the warm kitchen, at least warmer than the outside. Dove pulled his coat off, and began to remove his snow boots, well aware that the man wouldn't be pleased if he tracked snow through the house. As he was setting his boots on the paper carefully laid by the door already containing Gold's boots, he heard kitchen door open, and a beautiful woman entered slowly. 

He wasn't certain what to say or do. The only woman he had ever seen in Gold's house before was his housekeeper, and this was most certainly not her. She was beautiful, with the biggest blue eyes he had ever seen, and long chestnut curls. For a moment he just stood there gapping. Then something strange happened, a memory perhaps, something stirring in the back of his mind.

"Belle, this is Dove; he works for me," Gold was saying as he became aware of what was happening around him. 

"Hello, Mr. Dove," she said quietly, holding out a hand cautiously to shake his. He noticed that she was wearing a sweater that was clearly Gold's, the sleeves pushed up on her arms a bit. He he couldn't quite put his finger on it, but he knew there was something important here.

"Just Dove, Miss," he said for lack of anything better to say. 

"No one is to know she is here," Gold told him as he motioned for him to continue into the other room, and Dove, long familiar with his boss, followed, gathering his equipment as he went. "The mayor has an interest in her and where she is. She has been keeping her locked away and wants to do so again. That will never be allowed to happen." He knew that tone of voice well, and for reasons he couldn't have explained to himself, Dove was in complete agreement.

"Of course, Sir." he said quietly as he made his way towards the stairs. 

"Dove, once the electrics are back on, I want you to keep an eye out. I...I am concerned about her being here alone. She is to be kept safe, no matter what; am I clear?" 

"Completely," he said starting up the stairs, but he couldn't help himself. He wasn't a man given to curiosity or asking questions, but this time it just popped out. "Sir, did I know her? She seems... familiar." 

"Yes, I am sure you did. She worked for me for a time, and..." The man paused. 

Dove was a little surprised, his employer was rarely hesitant about anything. There seemed to be something he was about to say, but didn't. Dove felt another one of those impressions, the strange sort of memory, sitting somewhere while the woman; Belle made him a cup of tea. Did he even drink tea? He didn't know, but dismissed it. Regardless of what was said and what wasn't, he knew one thing, the beautiful woman was Gold's. He wasn't entirely sure his boss knew that, but it was none of his affair. She was to be protected, he would protect her. It was that simple. With a slight nod, he turned toward the stairs. "Best get that mirror fixed first, Sir."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No, I haven't forgotten this story, just got really sidetracked with a couple of other ideas, and other stories taking over. Thanks to Lauren, My beta, as usual. Hope you are still reading and enjoying. Remember, the muse feeds on Comments (and kudos), so please, read, respond, and all of that sort of thing.


	40. Shards pt. 2

When he came down, the new mirror installed and the old one cleared away, Gold and Miss Belle (it sounded incredibly old fashioned in his head but he couldn't seem to think of her any other way) were sitting in front of the fire having tea. He couldn't help but notice the intimacy between them. The way she leaned close to him as she refilled his cup, and the easy smile on his face, that he had never seen before. 

"Finished, Sir," he said, wanting to make certain that they were aware of his presence. Dove wasn't entirely sure of what was going on between them, but he was pretty certain that he knew as much as he needed to. Still he smiled just a little. Regardless of how people viewed his employer, he knew exactly how much of it was a masque. Gold had always been fair and more than to him. Of course it served the man well to let people think otherwise. 

Those people who spoke to him (Leroy, a few others who had jobs that involved things like maintenance), asked him how he did it, or why. They all thought he worked for Gold because he paid well, which he did. But that wasn't the only reason. Gold had given him a job when he needed one, and had always treated him well, as a valued employee, not like the Mayor who he knew for a fact treated Leroy like the dirt on her driveway (of course, she treated everyone that way), and he would gladly have another job if there was one going. But working for the town was pretty much his main source of income, though he actually worked for three or four different parts of the town separately, none of whom could afford a full time maintenance worker. 

 

The rest of the town ignored him, or tried to avoid him. Those were the ones that only saw him when Mr. Gold needed something, like someone to drive Moe French's truck after the man failed to pay (again). A lot of people thought of him as Gold's enforcer, and he would admit to using that misapprehension to his advantage. It meant that people left him alone. He didn't mind socialising with Leroy, or Tom from the Pharmacy, even the Sheriff before his death (they were both known more for their silence than their speech), but there were plenty of people in town he really wasn't that interested in getting to know. Dove had always kept his own council, sharing only occasionally, and then only with his employer and perhaps...perhaps Miss Belle, though he didn't know where he got that perception. 

"Good. Now, about that other situation, perhaps we should..." Gold started but Belle interrupted him with a small hand on his arm. 

"Why don't I go make some more tea while you talk. The least we can do is give him something hot to drink before he has to go back out in the snow." Gold nodded, and he found himself nodding in agreement as well. She rose, carrying the presumably empty tea pot into the kitchen and leaving them to business. 

Gold's eyes followed her carefully, protectively as she went through the dining room, and watched until the kitchen door closed behind her. "Now, I want to be very clear on this," the pawnbroker said, gesturing him to sit. "Belle is to be kept safe at all costs, especially once the electrics are back up. Unfortunately staying here with her would cause suspicion, not to mention generating unwanted gossip. Right now, the only people who know she is here are Ruby Lucas, you, and whoever managed to secure her escape from the hospital. In the mean time, find out what you can about a secret ward under the hospital, one accessed through a storage closet. I want to know how to get into it, who works there, whatever information you can come up with; do you understand?"

"Yes, sir," he said. Dove didn't make notes; he didn't need to. There was a sense of urgency that seemed to permeate his mas...his boss's request that seemed contagious. For some reason, he wanted the answers just as much. Had Miss Belle been a friend before she disappeared? Okay, that he remembered, that she had disappeared. There seemed to be a lot of that in this town. He remembered Gus from the Garage saying that Mr. Nolan; who had been in a coma at the hospital, had been unlooked for because when he disappeared, everyone assumed he left town. No one left town, not that he could ever remember, or if they did, they never wrote, called, or did anything to contact those back here. 

Nothing more needed to be said. The two men understood each other completely. By the time that Belle had come back, the tea pot and a fresh cup in her hand, a comfortable silence had fallen between them. "Here we are," she said cheerily. 

"It's not necessary, Miss. I should be going..."

But Belle was undeterred; setting the pot down, she poured out a cup, adding a fair bit of sugar and a drop of milk as if she had been making his tea for years. Perhaps she had, sometime before. He had a vague impression of sitting in a kitchen, somewhere, though it didn't seem the kitchen of this house, watching her bake bread, a cup of tea in his hand. "You will need it; it's snowing again, not hard but still. Did you drive?" She asked. 

"No, not much point. Car's still buried," he said. He felt like he had talked more than enough today, and sitting with his boss and Belle felt both comfortable and uncomfortable at the same time, like a strange itch. In fact, he found himself scratching absently at the chain around his neck, not like a proper itch, but something he couldn't put a finger on. 

"Take the Cadillac," Gold said. "If they get the power back in the morning, you can come around and pick me up. If not, there is less drift down there." Dove nodded, finished his tea and carefully set the cup down on the tray before excusing himself.

"I did know him...before," Belle said as they heard the backdoor close, and the sound of the lock turning.

"Did you remember something?" Gold said, trying to hold back his desire to pull her close to him as he did every time something came back to her, afraid that each time it was going to be horrible. Instead he held one arm out, allowing her to come to him, if and only if she wanted to. He couldn't help the pleasure that he felt every single time she came to him. She let him wrap an arm around him as she resettled herself with a happy sigh, her head resting on his shoulder. 

"Not really, not exactly remembered. I know how he takes his tea. Also, I have this impression, more of a feeling, really, of him sitting in the kitchen while I bake. Is that possible?"

"Certainly is, sweetheart. You wouldn't be you if you didn't offer tea to someone. Dove is more than just a handy man, he tends to all manner of things for me. You will see, when the weather is better. I probably would have introduced you sooner, had I not been so very selfish. I wanted you to myself for just a bit. I will have to share you with the world soon enough," Rumplestiltskin said, though she could tell that he wasn't all that keen on the idea.

"Not the whole world, and not too many," she said, biting her lip. "I've been alone for a long time, maybe one at a time? At least for now?"

"I think that can be arranged," he said as he smiled down at her. Not in far too long, as Gold or before Rumplestiltskin could he remember having felt so content, probably not since he sent her away from him. Rather than dwell on that unpleasant subject, he decided to focus on right now, and what he had. It would change all too soon, that was the nature of things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the comments, the kudos, and for still reading this story, despite the fact that it is twice as long as I ever thought it would be and still going. When I wrote the first part of this chapter, I thought I was done, but apparently I wasn't. Plus a little more fluff before things blow up. Thanks as always to my beta Lauren for finding her way through this.


	41. Games

The rest of the evening past quietly enough. They had returned to the warmth of the bedroom where they both continued their reading, Belle curled up on a cushion next to his chair. No matter how he tried, he couldn't convince her to let him get her another chair, insisting that she was comfortable enough. This time he had not even bothered trying to suggest they slept separately. That was a battle he had lost, and he had always been one to know when there was no hope. Instead, he had placed a very chaste and gentle kiss on her half asleep lips before settling beneath the blankets with her. Temptation she might be, but he'd not try to send her away again. 

 

The morning had begun well, with the sudden return of the electricity. Gold had woken up sweating like a navvy with a sweat soaked Belle wrapped around him. For a brief moment he had been disoriented and struck with the fear that Belle was feverish, but as consciousness returned, he realised that they were both broiling, and he wasn't capable of fever. He had detatched himself from the still sleeping Belle, and dragged himself from the bed to check the house after carefully folding back the extra bedding that had kept them warm for the last couple of days. 

After a quick check of the house, he had returned to his bed with a certain amount of ambivalence. On the one hand, they would be more comfortable. It meant a return of amenities like the shower and being able to move around the house without layers of clothes like some kind of arctic explorer. However, it meant that he would have to return to his shop, leaving Belle alone in the house all day again. He hadn't realised how much he had missed just having her near. Perhaps it was the sort of thing that one didn't think of much. Regardless, he wasn't keen on leaving her alone, but at least Dove could keep an eye on her, and there was the Lucas girl. 

Of course there was the other thing about getting the power back up, that Belle would be able to return to her own bed. It was what needed to happen, he knew that, and of course it would be easier to resist the temptation that having her next to him offered if she was across the hall. But he didn't want he to go. He wanted her with him, safe, where he could protect her. She was also remarkably stubborn, would she even be willing to move back? Her position had been clear, if he wanted to protect her that was fine, but she was going to do nothing to keep the distance he tried to impose between them. 

When he returned to the bedroom having established that everything was safe, Belle was sitting up in the bed looking sleepy and a bit confused. "Where did you go?" she said a little plaintively and he wondered if a nightmare had awakened her, or it was just his absence. 

"It's alright, love," he said as he sat down on the side of the bed, propped his cane against the nightstand and removed his slippers. "The power's just come back up, but it is still early, you go back to sleep." Gold laid back down with a sigh. It felt good to have the heat back but he was still feeling a bit sticky and it was only Belle's need that made him forgo the shower that he was certain he desperately needed. Still it hadn't taken but one look into those beautiful blue eyes to know where his priorities lay. He slipped back into the bed, and allowed her to wrap herself back around him, and in moments they were asleep again.

The second time he had woken, he noticed that Belle was already gone from the bed. He sat bolt upright in the bed, worry suddenly overtaking him. But then he heard the sound of running water and relaxed. Clearly she had woken with the need for a shower, which he could understand. Thinking that he needed one as well, but also needed some caffiene, he dragged himself up, and slipped back into his robe, thinking as he did that it would need a wash, actually pretty much everything from the last few days would be best for a launder, but that was something to worry after later. He still needed to sort what he was going to do about his cleaner. Firing her for no reason would certainly be suspicious but neither did he want her in the house with Belle. 

He was in the kitchen tending to the tea pot when Belle made her way downstairs, her hair wrapped in a towel. "Feeling better?" he asked, turning to smile at her. 

"Cleaner," she said. There was something slightly odd about her voice but when she smiled at him he dismissed it. "Would you like me to make some breakfast while you shower?"

"Would it do any good to tell you that you don't need to cook for me?" he teased.

"None at all," she told him.

"In that case, I suppose I will simply give in gracefully. Besides, I could use a shower." As he made it to the door, she was already bustling around the kitchen. 

By the time he had come down, Belle had breakfast made, and Dove was seated, looking a little discomfited at the table. Belle had made him a cup of tea and he was fairly certain it was her instance that was the only reason the man wasn't waiting outside in the car. She also insisted that they both eat breakfast. He hid a smile as his lady badgered the large man into eating his eggs and bacon. It was only as he was leaving that he realised that Belle had not joined them at the table. 

"I will see you at lunch," he said as he gently hugged her good bye. 

"You don't..."

"The shop will be quiet, and surely you know I would rather be here with you?" She smiled softly and gave in. He knew she was lonely. Gold made sure she had Ruby Lucas's number, so she would have someone to talk to if she felt like it. Though he wasn't certain she would call, Belle was a bit shy, especially now. 

They drive to the shop was a short one, and as soon as he was out of the car, Dove had spoken to him. "Sir, if you don't need me for anything else, I will go and check over your house, make sure nothing was damaged by the power outage?" It was asked as an innocuous question, but they both knew what he was really saying. That they would both feel better if he kept an eye on Belle, and this was a good enough reason. 

Gold nodded distractedly before replying. It would certainly make him better. Also, it was obvious that while he didn't remember her, the large man's devotion to his lady was unchanged. Of course, she had that effect on people, so it should be no surprise. "You can take the car. Come and collect me for lunch, I'm not feeling the walk today." It was Dove's turn to nod. As usual, they understood each other with little need for words. 

Once he settled in the back of the shop, he had time to think about other things, things like whether today or tomorrow would be the day that Sidney set their plan in motion. He would have bet on tomorrow, honestly but he wasn't certain how long the other man could keep his nerve. The Genie wasn't exactly known for his nerve, at least not where Regina was concerned. He was also expecting a return visit from the Evil Queen. Surely by now she had thought of something that she thought he might want for help with her little Snow White problem. Of course that was all for later, right now he needed to continue acting as expected. 

Gold went to the front of the shop reluctantly. He was fairly certain he would have no actual customers today, though there would probably calls from some of his renters about storm damage that would probably keep Dove busy for the afternoon, but at least Belle would have company for a little while. Meanwhile, he looked out the front window, assessing the condition of the front walk as he turned the sign. Perhaps another layer of Ice Melt, he decided, as he moved to the back of the store to grab some from where it lived in a bucket near the door. 

As he opened the front of the shop to spread the chunky salt over his sidewalk, his eyes were drawn to the sidewalk in front of the diner. Standing there, talking politely, were Kathryn Nolan and Mary Margaret Blanchard. Interesting, he thought. Looks like my little helping hand was effective in more ways that one. The conversation looked friendly enough, and unlikely to erupt into violence at any moment, though he saw Ruby Lucas peering out the front window of the diner, and Emma Swan was watching from her position trying to scrape enough snow and ice off her yellow bug to be certain it was actually still in the place she last saw it. 

Kathryn then pulled out her wallet and tried to offer something to Mary Margaret, money possibly, but Mary Margaret was refusing, shaking her head emphatically. After a few more moments of what seemed good natured wrangling, Mary Margaret nodded, and the two women hugged one another. Inside, the imp giggled. So, it appeared that after meeting her True Love again, Kathryn was in a forgiving mood, and Mary Margaret, well, she had always been too forgiving for her own good. 

In his mind, he could feel another strand of the curse snap. Soon, he promised himself. But for now, it was time to figure out which of his little treasures needed to find its way out into the world again? Perhaps it was time for Archie to get a new umbrella, or maybe Ruby's red cloak? No, not yet, he thought. No, he knew exactly the right object to release into town now. Let the games begin, he thought as he turned into the back of the shop. It might need a bit of repair, but that was a small enough matter. One more strand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to all the people who are still reading. Sorry its been a while for an update, but it was giving me a bit of trouble. Now I think i have it all sorted at least for now. Of course, kudos and reviews, questions and comments keep the muse going and happy. 
> 
> Next Chapter--Plots and plans and what Sidney is up to.


	42. Bigger Wheels

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the town cleans up from the blizzard, Gold continues to plot and plan, and Regina gets an unpleasant surprise.

"Sidney, you look like hell," Regina said as she sat behind her desk. Not that she was much better, the storm and it's aftermath had left her feeling out of sorts, and there was still Rumplestiltskin to deal with. 

"Aren't you a ray of sunshine yourself, your Majesty," he said. Sidney was tired, and his sleep last night had been filled with strange dreams, dreams that he hadn't been able to get a handle on. 

"What did you say?" Regina said, leaning forward in her chair looking at him sharply. 

"I said you weren't exactly a ray of sunshine yourself, Madame Mayor," he barked back. It wasn't like him to snap at her and Regina was giving him a strange look. 

Slowly she leaned back in her chair. She was hearing things, that was it. The situation with Gold was making her edgy. The last two days she had been thinking about exactly what it was she was going to offer Rumplestiltskin. The problem was, he had everyone, or almost everything. Of course, she had one thing she could have traded him, but she had lost that, and with luck it would stay lost. If the girl ever turned up, she knew there was no place she would be able to hide.

"...so I'm making a change, one that should take care of everything. Now I just need..." Regina realised that she had tuned him out and probably missed something important.

"So you have figured out a way to get Gold off your back, are you planning on betraying me, Sidney because if you are..."

"Get him off my back? Probably not, but at least I won't have to worry about him. I'm not going to tell him anything I don't have to. But I'm leaving. Its time and past that I got out of this town. Portland, Bangor, maybe even Boston."

"Leaving, really Sidney?" she said, her voice going from shock to that familiar silky smooth tone that had always worked on him. "Why would you do that? You know how much a rely on you?" It was tempting. Part of him wanted so very much to believe her, to fall back into old patterns, it would be so easy. But then there was the rest. He had made a deal with Gold, and no one ever broke a deal with that man, he knew he wasn't going to be the first. Besides, it was an act, Sidney knew that, knew that she would use him again, and again she would distance herself if it became expedient. Regina wasn't to be trusted. For the first time in longer than he remembered, he knew exactly what he was going to do. 

"I'm sorry Regina, but it's past time that I moved on. I started polishing my resume when the power came back on. I need a new life, and It is not here, I need to go find it. Goodbye Regina," he said, as he turned and left, pulling the door closing behind him. 

Regina sat staring at the door. He would come back, he always did, she knew that. Sidney would never dare leave her, would he? Angrily she picked up the coffee cup from her desk and threw it. Great another problem to deal with. She couldn't let him leave. But convincing him to stay would take work, and right now, she had bigger things to deal with, including Rumplestiltskin. 

 

Mother Superior sat behind her desk contemplating the pile of papers in front of her while she tried to find a solution to her current problem. The power had come back on, and she had sent up a prayer of Thanksgiving. Unfortunately the furnace had not come back on with the power and that meant one thing, dealing with Mr. Gold. Normally the Mother Superior didn't like to think that there was anyone she couldn't deal with. She had been keeping giggling novices in line for more years than she cared to think about with nary a problem. But Mr. Gold seemed to have a deep and abiding dislike of nuns in general and her in specific. Which, since the phone lines to the little convent outside of town hadn't come back either, meant that someone would have to go into town and talk to him.

With a heavy sigh, and a look at all the work that was sitting on her desk, she decided that she would just have to send whichever of the sisterhood next stepped into her office without a task already assigned. She had just turned her eyes back to the invoices for the candles when there was a knock at the door and Sister Astrid stepped into her office. Astrid was a good girl though why she had decided to join the sisterhood was a mystery to her, nor was it really any of her business. She was a good worker, a bit of a dreamer, unfortunately she was also the most clumsy person that the Mother Superior had ever met. At least for once her little mistake in over ordering the candles would play into the convent's favour. The weather and the power outage it brought meant that they had managed to sell out, meaning that they were more than covered for their rent payment this year. For that, the Mother Superior was grateful. Of all the people she had ever met, Gold was the one she was certain would turn out a convent full of nuns if they couldn't pay on time. Now they had another issue. Miner's Day was coming up, and as of this moment, they had no candles to sell, meaning she had to get another order in as soon as possible. Settling down behind her desk, she was just starting to calculate exactly how many they would need, and the possibly positive impact this would have on their bank account when there was a knock at the door. 

"Mother Superior," she said, standing before the big desk shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot in that restless way of hers. "Sister Bernadette says that the pipes are all fine, but she can't figure out what is wrong with the furnace. But apparently there is at least no sign of a leak. I didn't see it, of course."

Of course she hadn't, no one in the convent was about to let clumsy Sister Astrid down the narrow stairs into the cellar, or around anything that might potentially cause injury. It was much easier in the summer, she was good with plants and gardens, and much less likely to injure herself or anyone else. "Very well, Sister Astrid. I am afraid I have an errand for you in town. I truly wish I didn't have to do this but I need you to go to Mr. Gold's Pawnshop and explain to him that the furnace is not working. I am sorry to send you into the wolf's lair."

"It's fine, I can do it, Mother Superior. Mr. Gold's pawnshop is on Main Street, across from Granny's."

"Yes it is. Tell him that the furnace isn't working and needs to be repaired," she said. She had learned long ago that giving the girl very specific instructions was the best way to deal with her occasional woolly headedness. 

"Of course, Mother Superior, I can manage it," Astrid said with a smile before excepting her dismissal and hurrying out the door. 

Surely even Mr. Gold, for all that most people thought him a monster, couldn't possibly do anything to harmless Sister Astrid.

 

With three phone calls, Gold had managed to set the next of his little plans in motion. Now he stood back watching as Marco, formerly Geppetto, stood at the counter examining a very special table clock that he had once built for Snow White. "I can do it, Mr. Gold, but it is gonna' take a lot of work. As you are no doubt aware, the mechanism should be taken apart for a full cleaning, and the rest...well, it could take some time," he said looking at the other man. 

"That is why it was fortunate that you came in today. It really needs more work than I am prepared to take on. Do you think it is worth repairing?"

"I will be honest with you, sir. It is well worth it, the craftsmanship is absolutely superior," he said, as he looked lovingly over the works. The old wood carver happened to come in as he finished work on his other project to report an issue with his hot water heater. "I'd do it myself, you understand, but while the hands are still spry, the eyes, not so much. And that basement is not so easy for me to get around in," he had told Gold, twisting the cap that he held in his hands in a very old fashioned sort of way. 

Gold was watching the man continue to examine the workings, explaining what would be necessary when something caught his eye. There was a man standing, peering in the window. It was the one with the motor cycle, the one who registered at Granny's as August Booth. Watching him as he looked through the dusty window now, pretending to window shop, he had a good idea of exactly who he was. In some ways, he was disappointed. It would have been so much easier. But right now, with the curse on the edge of breaking, he wasn't certain if he was ready to face his son, nor did he need one more person to protect from whatever was going to happen when it did. No, it wasn't Bae, that he knew. Which meant there was only one other person it could be, someone else's son. Gold met his eyes, and knew in that moment that the other man knew too, and knew that he wasn't the only one awake in town. In that one moment, his last minute decision to return the clock to Marco, really just an impulse on his part, turned into something oh so very much more, and the imp inside cackled with glee. He held August's eyes for a moment, and then the other man was gone. 

"Right now, I have the time as well. Winter, well there is not so much work, you know, and this year it's been longer than usual. Not much construction in all this snow. Summer, that is a different story, eh?" Gold smiled, as much as he ever did. "I take it with me now, yes?" he asked. 

"Yes, please do. I will have Dove over to tend your water heater sometime this afternoon. The storm has him a bit busy at the moment."

"Oh, no worry Mr. Gold. He get to it when he get to it. He's a hard worker, that one. I'm sure there are bigger things to tend to. Thank you, Mr. Gold. I let you know when it's ready, eh?" Marco said, happily nodding to him as he put his cap back on and picked up the large clock to take away with him. "A good day to you Mr. Gold," he said as he made his way out the door. 

The bell had just stopped ringing when the door was thrown open again. This time it was someone he was expecting, or at least half expecting. From the look on Regina's face, he was fairly certain that Sidney had already been to see her too. Good. The Genie hadn't lost his nerve this time, that was obvious enough. Though she tried to hide it, Regina was definitely put out by something, and he was fairly certain he knew exactly what that something was.

"Good morning, Your Majesty," he said with a slight flourish, his mouth set in an almost smile. Every time he saw her these days it was a hard fought battle not to do something unfortunate to her, and only his desire to have the curse broken and his Belle back was enough to keep his anger in check. He had played the long game before, and right now the stakes were as high as they had ever been. "I assume since you are here that you have something to make a deal with? Something that I might actually want," he said, his eyes raking over her from head to toe with a cynical appraisal that made his meaning, and her failings abundantly clear. 

Regina wasn't certain whether to be offended or relieved. It was going to be some time before he allowed her to forget her slip the other night. Why she had ever allowed herself to get so distracted that she tried to...seduce..., just the thought was enough to make her cringe, Rumplestiltskin, Regina wasn't even sure she wanted to know. "That was a misunderstanding," she said trying to sharp but sounding shrill in her own ears. "I am not now nor will I ever be interested in any deal that involves sharing...that with you." She couldn't even bring herself to voice the idea.

"Good thing, yer Majesty as I'd not have ye, not if ye were on offer. Besides, ye'd not last long," his voice had pitched down, the accent that had only lurked behind the high pitched giggle in the old world thickening like tar and the look in his eyes was twice as dark. Regina found herself involuntarily stepping back, wondering, not for the first time whether she had finally pushed him a little too far. Then he stood to his full height and it was gone, replaced with the familiar cold smirk. "So what have you to offer me? I don't have all day, dearie."

"You mean you have other things to do besides scaring Sidney Glass half to death? Have you nothing better to do than harass the poor man?"

Gold made a show of looking through the diary sitting on the counter, leafing though the pages. "No, nothing on the calendar," he said, turning a calculated smirk towards her. "Unless you want to tell me what it was he was looking for..."

"Why would I know? The poor man hasn't been himself since he lost his job at the paper."

"Hmmmm, and who was it that caused that to happen I wonder?" Gold said, his voice sinking just a little, again. But when Regina refused to rise to the bait, he decided that he had done enough for now. Besides, it wouldn't do to have her around for to long. He could keep stringing her along for a little while, but there was a limit, and she didn't need to see his other piece of business. "But, that doesn't answer my question, what do you have that I want, Regina," he said, leaning onto the counter between them. 

"A favour," she said. He looked her in the eyes, and held up a hand, gesturing for her to continue. "I will owe you a favour, whatever you want." She didn't like it, offering him a blank check like that. There were so many things he could do with it, but at the moment she was desperate. 

"Hmm, now that has possibilities," he said, almost approving. "The question is, have you decided what exactly it is that you want me to do? In keeping with the parameters of the curse, of course. As I told you before, actual change to the magic is not possible." Here he had to be careful. There were plenty of things she could ask of him, but as he had no interest in stopping the curse from breaking, any deal was going to be a precarious thing. Time to begin the negotiations. 

 

Fifteen minutes later, Gold had managed to talk Regina into knots, but so far had managed not to agree to anything when the shop bell rang out as the door burst open, almost spilling the person on the other side into the warm interior of the shop. Gold would have groaned if he hadn't, at that moment, been hardily sick of playing word games with the evil Queen. Any nun was more than he cared to deal with, but Sister Astrid, otherwise known and the clumsiest fairy in the Enchanted Forest, was the last person he wanted in his shop where just about everything was breakable. He had never bothered with her back in the Enchanted Forest for two reasons, one, that she had little enough power and what she had she was rubbish at controlling, and the second, because she was more of an irritant to the blue fairy alive. Today, however, he welcomed her, almost. 

"Mr....Mr. Gold, Mayor Mills," she greeted the two of them as she tried to right herself, rubbing her hands nervously on her coat. "I hope I'm not... I could come back..." Astrid said. Apparently even the dimwitted fairy could see the tension. 

"Not at all, Sister," Regina said with one of her sickly sweet smiles. "Mr. Gold, would you think over that proposal, give me some idea of what would be necessary to make it happen?" she said, turning on one very expensive heel towards the door. 

"I'll get back to you as soon as I've had a chance to consider it and check a few things," he said, smiling as much as he ever did at her back. Regina just gave a negligent wave as she brushed past the nervous nun, almost causing her to crash into a delicate glass mobile of unicorns. 

"Careful, dearie," Gold said, having come from behind the counter at speed and carefully extracting her from the fragile object and steering her to the middle of the floor away from...everything, actually. "I doubt you could afford to replace it if you broke it. Now, what is it that your Mother Superior wants of me?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to all those still reading. I am afraid that the original of this post got eaten in a computer problem, and I had to recreate it out of whole cloth. I'm not sure it's as good as the original but I hope you will enjoy it anyway. 
> 
> Anyone have any ideas what Gold is about to release back into the town? Also, prompts in that realm always welcomed. Also, thanks for the Kudos and the comments, please keep them coming, it makes the muse feel warm and fuzzy.


	43. Majors and Miners

By the time Dove showed up to take Gold home for lunch, he was more than ready to go. He flipped the closed sign and locked the door behind him carefully. Storybrooke was getting back to normal, if normal was characterised as exactly the same way it had been every other day for the past twenty-eight years, at least on the outside. "I trust that everything at the house is in order?" he asked as Dove held the back door of the Cadillac open for him. 

"Yes sir, perfectly," he said. He closed the door and made his way around to the driver's side, and starting the car, maneuvering carefully through the still ice and snow covered roads towards the big house. 

"And Belle?" He probably shouldn't have asked, Dove wasn't one for discussion, and not with him. 

"She was busy doing laundry, sir. I carried it down for her, as she was determined to do it." Gold leaned back and resisted rolling his eyes. He had a woman that came in to do for him, one he couldn't just fire for no reason without suspicion. He had been racking his brain trying to figure out how to deal with that situation, and now Belle was determined to clean the house. If he had his way, she would never lift a finger again that she didn't want to, but she had never been one to sit back. But that was something he could worry about later. Right now he wanted to forget everything except spending time with Belle. 

"After lunch, I have a list of tasks for you. One of them is out at the convent, the furnace has packed up again." He leaned back in his seat considering his next move. After a moment he added, "take Leroy with you, he's good with furnaces, and that one is usually a two person job." A smile settled over his face. Rumplestiltskin realised he should have thought of it earlier. Back in the Enchanted Forest, he had heard of a dwarf, one who had fallen in love with a fairy, a very clumsy fairy. After all, who am I to stand in the way of True Love, he thought to himself with silent giggle. 

Dove dropped him off and went off, probably to round up Leroy, and likely to avoid Belle insisting on feeding him. While he knew Dove truly cared for his lady and would protect her at all costs, it was coming too fast at the moment. He doubted the quiet man had slept much last night, the side effect of getting his amulet back. Nor would he be the only one. The steins had gone to the dwarves, he was certain that Leroy had given the rest to his brothers, and probably spent the entire night before putting down large amounts of beer from them. Sidney Glass had his lamp back, probably helping give the love sick genie a bit of back bone, and perhaps a dose of regret, though he wouldn't understand why. Belle was the most obvious to him though her memories coming back didn't seem to disturb her sleep. Perhaps it was because she had nothing in their place? Gold wasn't certain but that was something for later contemplation. 

The kitchen door opened to the smell of tomato soup, which despite his full breakfast caused his stomach to rumble, and just as he was about to call out, the kitchen door opened and Belle came in. "I heard the car," she said quietly before coming towards him and giving him a very quick hug. The she released him to move to the stove. 

"Belle, are you feeling alright, sweetheart?" he asked, She seemed a bit subdued more so than she had been since the first night she had come home with him. He wondered if it was the weather, or perhaps she didn't want to be alone? But surely she would have said something if that was the case. 

"I'm fine," she said, but her voice was low and he wasn't really believing her. "Do you want a cheese sandwich to go with your soup? Is it very cold in the shop?"

"You don't have to make me a sandwich, dear. Why don't you just sit down and eat with me? The shop is not particularly cold, the heat is working well. What about you?" he asked, as she waved him to the table. 

"Nothing much. I cleaned up a bit, did the laundry, that sort of thing," she said trying to brush it off as she prepared his lunch. "I made soup." Belle carried a bowl over to him adding some bread. "I think it's a good day to bake." 

"Belle, aren't you going to join me?" he asked. Something was off, he could sense it. She seemed to be avoiding sitting with him. 

"I'm not really hungry," she told him as she moved back to wipe down the counter with a kind of restlessness that was unlike her. 

"Is something wrong? Are you feeling..."

"You're not my father," she snapped at him, only moments later realising what she had done. Gold sat back in his chair as if he had been slapped. He wondered if she had remembered something, clearly there was something bothering her. "I'm sorry," she said, moving to him. "I...I've just been a bit out of sorts today. Really, I'm fine, just...tired," she told him.

"Are you certain?" he asked, not wanting to push her, but concerned at the sudden change of mood. Belle leaned down and put a hand on his arm.

"I'm fine, truly. Perhaps a nap..."

"Then rest, love," he told her, not completely mollified. If there was something wrong, she would tell him when she was ready. Pushing her was not the way to get through to his little caretaker, for she seemed determined to take up that post again. "You don't need to tire yourself out."

"I will be fine, but you should eat. You need to get back to the shop. I will be fine," she promised. She dropped a kiss on his cheek as his phone rang. 

Gold picked up the phone, irritated already with whoever was on the other end of the phone. "Gold," he said sharply, letting whoever was on the other end know to be brief. 

"Sir, I'm sorry to interupt your lunch," Dove said. Gold's mood changed immediately. Dove wasn't one to call for no reason. "It's about Leroy." 

Moments later he was in the back of the Cadillac on his way to the sheriffs office. As much as he disliked having his time with Belle interrupted, he couldn't help but be glad of the reason, well, almost. He had known that making certain those steins got back to the dwarves would have an effect, he just hadn't counted on it being so very... spectacular. The sight that met him when he went entered the sheriff's office was almost comical. In fact, if he hadn't had a reputation to uphold, he probably would have laughed. 

"Gold, what are you doing here?" Emma Swan asked, coming out of her office. 

"I needed Leroy for some work and was informed that he was here."

"Yeah," Emma said with a sigh, running a hand through her long hair. Clearly she hadn't gotten enough sleep or enough coffee this morning. "I was going to call you, actually, once they woke up. Apparently you own the land the old mine is on."

"Among other things, yes. What has this to do with your rather...full jail?" he asked, looking meaningfully at the dirty, hung over and at least partially guilty looking cages. 

"Last night, Leroy and his friends over there were drinking at Granny's. When she put them out at close, they continued on to the Rabbit Hole, where they apparently aren't too particular about selling to those already clearly over the legal limit," she growled. 

"That place is a blight on the town," Gold agreed mildly. "But what does that have to do with the mine, or why these mostly upstanding citizens are doing in a cell?"

"They got very very drunk, had these giant German beer mugs," she said, pointing to the steins sitting on the desk. "At some point they got this idea about going down to the mine to look for...something. They weren't very coherent when I got called by the proprietor. At least he took their keys, but they went out to the mine, in the snow and started trying to dig through that tunnel collapse. 

"It seemed like a good idea at the time," Leroy said, having the good grace to be chagrinned about the whole thing. Tom Clark, the pharmacist, was hiding his head in the back corner of the cell, sneezing and trying to hide his face. 

"Alright. Well, there is very little they could have damaged out there, except themselves, and they seem fine, so is there a reason you are still holding them?" he asked. Really it was a ridiculous situation but one that was bound to give Regina an ulcer if she figured it out. 

"Not really. I mean you could charge them with trespassing if you wanted too. I mostly locked them up so they couldn't do any more damage to themselves. I'm going to fine them all for public drunkenness and disorderly conduct, but mostly I didn't want them to get into any more trouble."

"I see no reason to press charges, as long as they stay away from the mine. It's not a safe area. I've been giving thought to what to do with it since Henry's little accident, but I'm not interested in prosecuting."

"Hey Gold, why you being so nice to us?" Leroy asked suspiciously. 

"Let us just say I am feeling...generous today. Besides, Dove needs your help with the furnace at the convent this afternoon, among other things. Now, if you will excuse me," he said turning back to the Sheriff. "If there is nothing else you need from me, Sheriff?" he asked. 

"No...not at all," the Sheriff looked at him. She knew there was more going on than he was saying but right now she was too tired to worry about it. She had spent most of the night before listening to the seven dwarves there singing...off key. Seven dwarves, she thought, Jeeze, now Henry has me doing it. In the back of her mind though, a traitorous voice whispered that there were, indeed, seven of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry sorry sorry for taking so long to update. The muse and my life have both been a little chaotic recently. Thank you for continuing to read. I will try to be more consistent updating but as I am a week and a half from Dragon Con and deep in the preparations, I won't promise anything until after con. 
> 
> So, has anyone figured out what is wrong with Belle? Next chapter, what else Gold has up is sleeve.


	44. The War on Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Belle has a dream, Sidney and Gold conspire and Regina fears losing control.

"He'll never come for you, my dear," the woman said with a sneer. "It was a simple thing, all you had to do was kiss him properly you couldn't manage that could you? But this will do just as well, possibly even better. With him completely devastated over your tragic 'death', he will be more inclined than ever to watch this world burn. You should have seen the look on his face when I told him of the tragedy that befell you, how your father was so very cruel. It was positively heart breaking to watch," she smirked. "Perhaps I will show you sometime."

She jumped to her feet, anger and pain coursing through her. How could she, it was cruel? Belle dove for the woman only to be brought up short by the chains attached to her. The woman slapped her hard enough for her to taste blood before slamming her back onto her pallet as if by magic. "I don't think so. You are going no where."

"Why? If he thinks I'm dead, what good am I to you?" Belle asked.

"You're a pawn dear, just like you always have been. A little insurance policy for a rainy day. Besides, can you tell me that if I were to let you go you wouldn't run straight back to him? How stupid do you think I am? The kiss wouldn't have worked if you weren't both so sickeningly in love."

Belle woke with a pounding heard and a taste of copper in her mouth where she had bitten herself hard enough to bleed. It was just a dream, it had to be just a dream, she told herself. She hadn't meant to fall asleep but she was feeling...well out of sorts wasn't right, regardless of what she had told Richard, but then it wasn't appropriate to tell him the truth, that she was sore and crampy. She had been shocked when she had woken the second time that morning to discover that, as her old nan used to say, 'her friend' had come calling in the night. At least Ruby had thought of...well, everything. Still, it wasn't something she wanted to discuss with anyone, much less Richard. Not that he didn't know about such things. He had to, he was a man of the world. Besides, he had been married before.

For a moment, her thoughts stopped whirling around. Belle wasn't all that certain how she knew that Richard had been married. She must have known it from before. They hadn't discussed it, she knew that and there was no sign that the house had ever had another woman in it. Of course at his age, it would odder if he had not been. Still part of her knew that he had been married and that it had not been a good one.

"My wife never much cared for my company." she could hear the words as if he were standing next to her, and the heavy tone made her shiver. It also made her want to track down his ex wife. Belle had seen herself how careful he was of her, and she knew somehow, that part of his conviction that he wasn't worthy was the residue of his marriage.

Belle turned herself away from those dark thoughts, trying to practice what the book had said about not focusing on the things she remembered, just allowing them to happen. At least the power had come back, she could have a proper hot shower, or even a nice bath to make her feel better.

After Richard had been forced to rush off at lunch, she had finished the laundry, and baked some fresh bread for dinner, that could still be smelled throughout the house, something she was fairly certain that he would appreciate after he came home. It was only after she'd finished had she settled down for a bit of a read, and ended up falling asleep. Some how, at that time, she always felt torn between the need to clean and the desire to just sleep through the entire thing, and ended up taking it in shifts. But now she had nothing particular to do until Richard came home in a few hours.

Deciding on the bath, Belle went into the kitchen, checking and stirring the potato soup she had put on this morning, with leeks remaining from his last grocery run. After that, she headed up the stairs, taking only a moment to look out the front window. The street was still full of snow, but it wasn't snowing any longer, and the sky, while grey, wasn't threatening. Laying back in the bath full of some kind of bubble bath that Ruby had included in her package, Belle started to think about her dream.

She hadn't exactly recognised the woman in her dream...not exactly. What she had recognised was the voice, the same sinister woman from the hospital, the one that Richard called Regina. The dream couldn't possibly be a memory. While the hospital had been and seemed a prison to her, she was certain that iron shackles and a straw pallet were never a part of it. And as far as she was aware, she had never had anything like a proper conversation with the woman, or a conversation at all for that matter.

Belle considered that it must be her subconscious trying to tell her something. What it was, she didn't know. What she did know or was pretty certain of, was that not only had that woman, that Regina, told Richard she was dead, she had made it as painful as possible for both of them. She had convinced everyone she was dead and kept her locked away for no reason, except possibly to hurt the man she loved. The thing she couldn't understand was why. Rather than letting that thought settle too deeply, she added more hot water to the bath and picked up her book, determined to relax, and be in a much more pleasant mood when he returned.

Sidney Glass came by the shop in the middle of the afternoon. The former genie was pale under his walnut skin and clearly still tired, his mouth drawn down into a thin line almost as if he was in pain, but he was there. Gold took one look at him and almost felt sorry for him, almost.

 _'Going soft after all this time around these...people,'_ the imp spat in the back of his mind, but as Gold didn't bother responding.  It was hardly the first time he had ignored the dark voice, in fact, things were generally better when he did, at least it made it easier to live with himself.

"Gold," the man said, nodding to him in greeting while double checking that they were alone.

"Regina came by, she assumes that I am doing something to make your life particularly miserable at the moment."

"I told her I was leaving town, " he responded curtly. When there was no response, he sighed. "I don't want to, I don't think I do, anyway...I don't know," he managed stumbling over the words, his confusion clear.

"Second thoughts, Dearie?" Gold said, his voice slightly sinister. After all, it wouldn't do for the man to do an about face now. He knew that the magic mirror was tired, probably sleeping badly, and if anything, the introduction of his lamp had to be introducing even more confusion into the mix.

"No, not really. I need to get away, I need to think and I can't do that here. Hopefully..."

"Hopefully this will be resolved and soon," Gold said enigmatically. "Here are the keys. No one will know you are there."

"Gold, why are you doing this, why are you helping me?" Sidney asked, though he wasn't exactly sure he wanted the answer.

"My reasons are my own," the pawnshop owner said in a voice that didn't brook any arguments. "Now..."

After they had sorted the fine details, Sidney was ready to make his grand exit. It was part of the plan, Sidney Glass leaves town after some potentially shady deal with Gold. He would refuse to answer questions as he had a last meal at Granny's and tell everyone how much he was looking forward to starting his new grand adventure.

"Here," Gold said, almost as an after thought. "You know how to use it?"

"Yes, but you don't think..." the Genie said. It wasn't the first time that he realised that he had a skill he had no idea how he had acquired, or where. He stuck it in his pocked almost absently.

"I like to be prepared for all possibilities," Gold told him as he walked him to the door of the shop.

"I...thank you," Sidney said quickly before rushing through the door. Offering thanks had been hard enough, he didn't want to stay for the pawnbroker's response.

 

Rumplestiltskin was just preparing to close up show when the door opened and for the second time in a single day, Regina walked through. He had rather hoped he would get out, but he realised it was better than her coming to his house. Besides, Dove would be back soon to collect him, and he was well aware that the big man unnerved her, always had. Not that he had expected to get through the day without her returning, not with Sidney so publicly making his exit, not to mention she was bound to have heard about the dwarves and their drinking bout by now. He had actually been a little surprised she hadn't known when she came by earlier.

"Gold, what have you done?" she screeched as she threw the door open hard enough to rattle the windows, not to mention almost tearing his little brass bell free.

"Ah, your Majesty, always a pleasure," he said mildly, taking his time looking up from his ledger as if it was much more important than her mood.

"Sidney Glass is leaving town. Even as we speak he is having a last meal at Granny's."

"Yes, and what exactly do you expect me to do about it?" he said, turning his most vicious shark's smile on her.

"We both know why he can't do that," she hissed at him.

"Yes, there is that, although maybe he will get lucky. After all, the curse isn't as strong as it once was. I can hardly stop him, now can I? I thought that was more in your line, or have your charms began to fail you? It does happen, as you get older."

"You twisted little imp. We had a deal!" she shouted at him.

"No no no, your majesty, we have a potential deal, one which you have yet to define the parameters of, and none of it to do with your pathetic magic mirror," he leaned forward on the counter until his face was inches from hers, close enough for her to see the gleam of his gold tooth.

"Perhaps..." she said quietly backing up a step, while trying to cover the sudden chill that rippled down her spine. "I heard something very interesting today. Kathryn Nolan came to see me. She has decided not to fight David over the divorce. In fact, she says that it is all ending quite amicably. It seems she met someone new, and all because of you," Regina's eyes hardened again but she didn't move closer.

"Me? The only thing I can remember ever doing for the lovely Mrs. Nolan was call the garage for her when her car broke down."

"The garage that her beloved Fredrick works at," Regina snapped.

"Certainly not my fault, " Gold said with a flourish of his hands and a hurt innocent look that looked not all that different on his human face. "It's not as if there is more than one garage in town."

"And you knew nothing about Fredrick working there. I am sure. You know everything that goes on in this town."

"Not everything, I've never needed their services, and I don't own the building, what reason could I possibly have for knowing that? Or for meddling in their lives for that matter, especially when I am in negotiations with you? It is your obsession with other people's love lives, dearie, not mine." 

"And the dwarves little rampage last night? Was that an accident as well?" Regina asked. "I know you didn't press charges."

"Not an accident, certainly. More in the nature of a hiccup," he said leaning his hand on the counter and resting his chin on it for a moment. "Besides, I needed Leroy free, lots of work to do, dearie. Nasty storm, remember? Clean up could take a while."

She could hear it in his voice, something of the demon he had been before he changed. It almost made her shiver. Regina stood still for a moment. It was slightly possible the imp was telling the truth. After all, he rarely lied, preferring a sin of omission rather than commission. Still, she didn't trust him and she could feel the anger still burning in her veins. "You perverse little monster," she said leaning forward again, though not as close as before. "You never had any intention of helping me."

"Now you are becoming repetitive, so unless you have an idea of exactly what you would like me to do about any or all of your problems, though I doubt there is anything that can be done about Kathryn and Fredrick, I am closing for the evening."

"This isn't over Rumplestiltskin..." she growled angrily.

"Ah, but for the moment, it is," he replied, his eyes gleaming threateningly in the dim light. "Now, I would like you to leave...Please."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so very very sorry that this took me so long to get out. Consider me electronically groveling. Unfortunately, I have been writing this by the seat of my pants, and as the story gets towards its end, I needed to actually sit down and do some planning. I also had a bad attack of life, and the need to beat some plot bunnies down with a cricket bat, but that is neither here nor there. If you are still reading this story....Thank you, thank you, thank you. Please read, review, comment, throw veg if necessary, anything to keep the muse happy. Creative insults only though, please.
> 
> Oh, two things, as usual the chapter title comes from a song called "The War on Love Song". 
> 
> Second, anyone want to make a guess as to what exactly it was that Gold gave to Sidney?


	45. Twisted and Turned

Gold arrived home later than usual. He'd got his car back from Dove, who'd managed to unearth his truck and, as he told his employer, he really preferred his own vehicle as it was meant to be used for work. Gold didn't much care by that point. After Sidney had left, the afternoon had dragged, even the reports of things needing repair had slowed to the incredibly unimportant until it's rather dramatic ending. He was tired, and his leg was bothering him, as was his conversation with Regina. Rumplestiltskin didn't trust her, not at all. The whole situation was making him uncomfortable, like an itch he couldn't scratch. He didn't have his precognitive powers back yet, but you didn't need to be a seer to know that things were changing in town, and that Regina didn't like change, especially when she hadn't made it. She was definitely going to make some move against him directly or indirectly, something to try to corner him into doing what she wanted. Of course she didn't know there was no way to stop it, not now. He had to be prepared to protect Belle regardless. Rumplestiltskin could protect himself, but Regina was not getting anywhere near Belle ever again, not if he could help it.

The moment he entered the house, he smelled the aroma of fresh bread, and a rich scent that he couldn't quite place. Belle was not in the kitchen and he was just hanging up his coat when she came into the kitchen and immediately into his arms. Instantly, he felt better. It didn't matter that Regina was bound to come after him soon, that his leg hurt or that the curse was still unbroken. At least for this moment, he had Belle with him, close to him. Impulsively he dropped a kiss on her temple, and leaned back with a smile. "Are you feeling better, Sweetheart?" he asked.

"A little," she admitted. "I napped for a little bit." She looked up and there was something in her eyes that told him that it hadn't been all that restful.

  
"Bad dreams?" Gold asked, cupping her face in his hand.

"A little, I dreamed about that woman, Regina, the one that apparently had me locked up," she told him, but her eyes wouldn't meet his.

"You can tell me, if you want to," he offered.

"Maybe later," Belle said. "But right now, you should get out of your shoes," she told him. "There is still a lot of snow out there, and it can't be comfortable to stand around like that. Let me make you a cup of tea. Dinner is ready whenever you want it. Also, I did the laundry today. Mr. Dove helped me carry it up and down the stairs. Did you tell him I'm clumsy?" she asked. It all came out in a rush, and he was wondering if her dreams had been worse than she was letting on, but there was nothing for it. Still it was better than the quiet way she had been avoiding him earlier.

"You aren't clumsy, dear, just a bit..." he was trying to think of a good word while removing his dress shoes, which, as she predicted, were starting to become uncomfortably wet, but it was not surprising considering all the snow. She had even thought to bring his house slippers down, and he almost sighed in contentment as he slid his feet into them.

"I'm clumsy, you needn't deny it, remember the ladder?" she told him.

"The question, love, is do you?" he asked, a little startled. He had been wondering how the memories would fit themselves around the differences in the two worlds, the last thing he wanted was her to think she had lost her mind, but still he longed for her memory to return.

"Not...exactly," she said as she set the tea pot down, with both of their cups. "I remember that I fell off a ladder and you caught me, but I don't remember what I was doing on the ladder, or where I was."

Rumplestiltskin thought about it, it seemed a tame and safe enough memory to add to. "It was spring, you hadn't been with me for very long. You had climbed the ladder to get the drapes open, after being unable to do it from the ground." He didn't really want to answer any further. Belle just nodded and smiled to herself a little bit. "Did you remember anything else today?" he asked, not really wanting to push but still it was easier if he kept track of what she knew.

"I did...but it's really nothing, nothing important anyway," she said, suddenly shy of telling him. After all, what could it accomplish?

"What is it?" he asked. His voice was still even but he felt a bit of a chill at her reluctance.

"It...you were married, before..." Belle said, a little uncertainly.

"I was," he answered easily. Inwardly, he heaved a sigh of relief. Clearly it was fear of his discomfort rather than learning something to his discredit. _At least until she learns what happened to your wife,_ the Dark One whispered in the back of his mind, before he shoved the voice back into it's box. That was something that would hopefully never happen. "It's nothing, love. It was over long before I met you," he told her, just in case she had really gotten the wrong end of things. "It seems almost as if it was a different time," he said honestly, while the imp giggled madly from it's cage.

"Why..." Belle started to ask, before stopping.

"Why did I marry her? Or why did we separate?" he asked. "The answer to the first is because I thought she wanted me, and the second, because she discovered she didn't. She thought she could make me into what she wanted me to be."

"Why would she do that? Why would anyone? If you love someone, surely it is for who they are, not who you want them to be? Love...love is layered," Belle said. Gold reached for her hand, just to hold it in his for a moment. He remembered her telling him that before, the bittersweetness of what he could have had, had he not been a fool. _But how would you have saved her, how would you have made certain that the curse didn't leave her married to some fool, or worse?_ Once again he ignored the voice and simply held tight to her hand.

They sat in comfortable silence, locked in their own thoughts, until Belle realised that the tea pot was empty. "I should get us dinner, it's not fancy," she told him.

"It smells wonderful, sweetheart," he said sincerely. "I'm going to get myself a scotch, would you like something?" It wasn't like her to drink strong spirits particularly, but he offered anyway. His leg was better, but it was going to take more than a few moments of sitting in a warm kitchen to take the ache out. Perhaps he should consider a hot bath, he thought as he rose.

"Maybe just a little one," she said over her shoulder. He shrugged and hoped that she wasn't coming down sick. While he was almost positive that he could trust 'Dr. Whale's' discretion (or that he was more afraid of Gold than Regina any day) he didn't want to risk it if at all possible. Probably she was just feeling a bit achy, like everyone in town.

Dinner was pleasant, and if either of them was quieter than usual, it was put down to the day. It was only when time to retire rolled around that the quiet became awkward. He wanted very much for her to stay in his room, in his bed, but he knew that it wasn't right. Belle was all he desired and he most certainly knew the dangers. What if he did something? But she had been reluctant to be alone. Still when the time came, Belle had looked at him uncomfortably, and then said an almost whispered 'Good night'.

Of course it made sense for her to return to her own room, but somehow he couldn't help feeling somehow as if it was a rejection. Perhaps she was remembering more than she said, perhaps...rather than working himself into circles, he returned to his freshly made but empty bed. But sleep did not come easily. Suddenly his bed was too big, too cold, too empty. Not enough Belle. He drifted off uneasily to sleep.

 

He had only just fallen asleep to vague and somehow menacing dreams, when something woke him. His first thoughts were a jumble of concern for Belle and the need to protect her. He had reached automatically for the pistol in his night stand before he had been completely aware of his movements. But the sound came again, soft, like whimpering or crying. Gold dragged himself from the bed, only pausing to grab his dressing gown, and curse his carelessness. She was still subject to nightmares, nightmares that apparently hadn't come (for either of them) while they had been together. Only now was he wondering if she had returned to her room not because she desired it, but because she thought it was what he wanted.

Now that he was a little more clear headed, he made his way carefully to the door. Of course he had left it open, in case Belle had needed him, or had another nightmare. In the hall, he saw that her door was wide open and the bed empty. The bathroom door was also open, and in the light he saw her moving, her soft cries louder than before.

"Belle," he whispered softly, through the open door. Inside, she jumped like a startled deer as if a predator had come upon her. "Sweetheart are you alright?" Gold asked. "Are you ill?" It was then that he actually saw into the room. She was washing something out in the sink and there was a smear of something that might be blood on her hand.

Belle turned a brilliant shade of red and turned putting herself between him and what she was doing. "It's nothing, I just had a nightmare, and I...I'm fine, you should...you should get some sleep, I'm sorry I woke you." She knew she was being ridiculous and irrational. Worse, she knew the moment she that the words were out of her mouth that she had made a hash of it. It was written on Richard's face. The concern was still there but it wasn't the only thing. He tried to hide it, but Belle could see it, despite the lack of memories, she could read his face as well as her own, possibly better. He read her words as a rejection, and even as she watched, she could see him starting to close off, just the way he had tried the other morning. She had to stop that from happening. He had to understand.

"I'm sorry if I disturbed you," he said formally and Belle almost broke apart. She wasn't certain why she was reacting so extremely. Of course she had heard some women who did, she just didn't think she was the sort. Not that she remembered.

"Richard, wait, please. I...really," she was still blushing and not sure what to say, but he wasn't turning towards the door. "I'm sorry. It's just, its embarrassing."

As her whole explanation tumbled out, Rumplestiltskin suddenly didn't know how to react. Part of him, the part that had been married a few centuries before remembered how Milah hadn't wanted him anywhere near her at that time, even before he left for the war and their relationship crumbled. The imp in the back of his brain was cackling and dancing at his embarrassment while reminding him of the magical uses best not thought about now (or ever). ' _One more step in the breaking of the curse,'_ the demon reminding him with a giggle. ' _What bigger sign could their be that time is running in Storybrooke once more?'_ Still another part of him, the part that had felt he was loosing her was relieved that she wasn't running from him. "And that..."

"I had a nightmare," she said softly. "But I couldn't..."

"Belle, do you really think it matters to me? As you said earlier, I have been married before, it's not as if I am unaware of the process. It is perhaps more intimate than either of us is comfortable with at this stage, but if you..." Gold paused, hoping he wasn't overstepping. He was fairly certain that she was caught somewhere between the rather odd and very strict rules of behavior from a childhood she didn't remember (and the nobility of her time had some pretty bloody odd views of such things) and the openness of this world. Personally he thought there had to be a middle road, but then he felt that way about a lot of things from the old world to the new. Still, he was not about to allow her to suffer nightmares over something so...trivial. If nothing else, it would keep his thoughts... not pure but more in the practical.

"You don't mind?" Belle asked.

"The only thing I mind is you being subject to nightmares unnecessarily. Now, why don't you sort yourself and join me." There, he'd done it, he'd invited Belle, more or less told her that he wanted her in his bed regardless of the necessity. If he'd had any chance of pushing her away, he had pretty much thrown it away. Somehow, he couldn't find it in himself to care. After he had settled back into the bed, Belle had come in and joined him, carefully doing something on her side of the bed (and when did Belle start having a 'side' of his bed?), before settling down next to him. She didn't cuddle up to him, but settled for reaching to take his hand and holding it tight as they both drifted off to a much more comfortable sleep.

 

The second time Gold woke it was to a pounding on his front door, loud enough to wake the dead, or possibly damage his stain glassed window. He grabbed his dressing gown again, as well as his cane. Belle was sitting up next to him, clearly as confused and disturbed as he was but she grabbed a robe as well, not willing to stay alone. At the top of the stairs, he gestured for her to stay. "You can watch from here," he told her. "I don't want you in danger." Belle just nodded but kissed his cheek as he turned towards the stair. "Just a bloody minute," he growled at whoever it was. It most certainly couldn't be good, as very few people would have the nerve to knock on his door at 3:45 in the morning.

"Sheriff Swan," he said almost pleasantly as he opened the door. The pleasant tone that usually made people reconsider the state of their wills or whether they could afford to get evicted. "This had best be very important, dearie."

"Mr. Gold, I need you to come down to the station with me to answer some questions." The sheriff didn't look particularly threatened, nor did she look like this was her idea.

"Questions regarding?" he asked, that little prickle of danger he had felt before returning.

"The disappearance and potential murder of Sidney Glass."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this and please don't get the torches and pitchforks out yet. After all, it wouldn't be right if it was too easy, but now you see why it took me so long to get it out, and I apologise. There was a lot of stuff to get through. Hope you are still reading and enjoying and if you remember to leave a little comment, that would make the muse very happy.


	46. Interlude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a short chapter, the fireworks start next.

"What exactly has happened?" Gold asked, leaning heavily against his cane. Emma looked at him and wondered exactly how much it was bothering him. Clearly she had just woken him up and she was hoping that he understood. Not that she really thought he had done anything. But with Regina breathing down her neck not to mention waking up the DA who was at least as happy as she was, there were no choices.

"We can discuss that down at the station," she said unhappily.

"Well, Sheriff, will you allow me at least the opertunity to change?" he indicated the robe and pajamas, he was wearing.

"Yeah, sure," Swan told him. He held the door open for her, clearly reluctant, but then it was Gold, she didn't think he was much on socialising.

"Feel free to look around. Unless you feel the need to accompany me?" he said with with what might have been a smile, or possibly a sneer, with him it was hard to tell.

"I think I can trust you to change clothes by yourself, just barely. Do I have to tell you not to do anything stupid?"

"What would you expect? I'm hardly likely to do a runner," he told her.

 

At the top of the staircase, he found Belle crouched, terrified and waiting. He held a finger to his lips and put an arm around her, leading the way to into the bedroom and closed the door. The house might creak and groan but the walls were thick, so were the doors.

"Belle," he said as she threw herself into his arms the moment he turned. "It will be fine, love. The Sheriff is just doing her job. It's just how the game is played."

"I don't want any games, what if she arrests you?"

"Belle, listen to me love, we haven't much time. If anything happens, Dove will take care of you. His number is on the list by the phone, as is Miss Lucas'. They will see you are cared for. Besides, as you know, I have a brilliant attorney," he smiled and kissed her gently before going to his closet to chose his most intimidating suit, the black wool, with a black shirt. Just to break the unbelieved black, he added a black tie with a pattern of silver and red. It was a trifle subdued but that was this world, no sense of properly dramatic dress.

"Well?" he asked Belle as he finished knotting his tie.

"If you are trying for intimidating..." she said, biting her lip as she surveyed him carefully. "You look positively Mephistophelian."

"Then I have succeeded," Rumplestiltskin told her with a wicked look meant to make her smile, and almost succeeding. He pulled her into his arms for a deep kiss. Not necessarily his best idea, but with Sheriff Swan waiting for him downstairs he could hardly do anything particularly stupid with her. "It will be fine, Belle, now you get back in the bed and try to get some more sleep. With a little luck, I will be back before you wake up." _I hope_ , he added to himself.

Belle didn't look happy, but she climbed obediently back into the warm bed. He kept his eyes locked with hers until he slipped out of the room, leaving the door just the tiniest bit ajar.

"Took you long enough," Sheriff Swan said as he made his way down the stairs.

"You woke me up at an ungodly hour of the morning. Forgive me if it takes me a trifle longer than you would like to get myself together," he shot back.

"Yeah, sorry about this, Mr. Gold...It's not exactly my idea," she told him as they paused for him to lock the door. "I'd personally rather investigate first and interrogate after."

"After you know who it is you should interrogate? no matter, Sheriff. I have no doubt of who exactly is to blame for this current exercise." This time his smile was not the least bit pleasant, and Emma shivered just a bit. Good to know he wasn't holding her responsible, but if she was Regina, the mayor should be the one watching her back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the comments please keep it coming. Glad you are enjoying, please keep it coming.


	47. Interrogations

At the top of the staircase, he found Belle crouched, terrified and waiting. He held a finger to his lips and put an arm around her, leading the way to into the bedroom and closed the door. The house might creak and groan but the walls were thick, so were the doors.

"Belle," he said as she threw herself into his arms the moment he turned. "It will be fine, love. The Sheriff is just doing her job. This is how the game is played."

"I don't want any games, what if she arrests you?"

"Belle, listen to me love, we haven't much time. If anything happens, Dove will take care of you. His number is on the list by the phone, as is Miss Lucas'. They will see you have what you need. Besides, as you know, I have a brilliant attorney," he smiled and kissed her gently before going to his closet to chose his most intimidating suit, the black wool, with a black shirt. Just to break the unbelieved black, he added a black tie with a pattern of silver and red. It was a trifle subdued but that was this world, no sense of properly dramatic dress.

"Well?" he asked Belle as he finished knotting his tie.

"If you are trying for intimidating..." she said, biting her lip as she surveyed him carefully. "You look positively Mephistophelian."

"Then I have succeeded," Rumplestiltskin told her with a wicked look meant to make her smile, and almost succeeding. He pulled her into his arms for a deep kiss. Not necessarily his best idea, but with Sheriff Swan waiting for him downstairs he could hardly do anything particularly stupid with her. "It will be fine, Belle, now you get back in the bed and try to get some more sleep. With a little luck, I will be back before you wake up." I hope, he added to himself.

Belle didn't look happy, but she climbed obediently back into the warm bed. He kept his eyes locked with hers until he slipped out of the room, leaving the door just the tiniest bit ajar.

"Took you long enough," Sheriff Swan said as he made his way down the stairs.

"You woke me up at an ungodly hour of the morning. Forgive me if it takes me a trifle longer than you would like to get myself together," he shot back.

"Yeah, sorry about this, Mr. Gold...It's not exactly my idea," she told him as they paused for him to lock the door. "I'd personally rather investigate first and interrogate after."

"After you know who it is you should interrogate? Your faith in my innocence is heart warming. No matter, Sheriff. I have no doubt of who exactly is to blame for this current exercise." This time his smile was not the least bit pleasant, and Emma shivered just a bit. Good to know he wasn't holding her responsible, but if she was Regina, the mayor should be the one watching her back.

"I never said I thought you were innocent, just that I didn't see the need for this."

"Clarification duly noted, Sheriff."

The ride to the sheriff's office was quiet. Of course he expected nothing less. Sheriff Swan hadn't been happy about the task she had been set. He played the part he had been given, sitting in the car glaring balefully out at the sleeping town. After all, Mr. gold had a reason to be upset. He'd been dragged from his warm, comfortable, Belle-filled bed at an ungodly hour, out into he cold for no other reason than his failure to give Regina exactly what she wanted. The Sheriff looked at him, probably trying to figure out if he was going to take it out on her or anyone she cared about. Of course, he had no plans to do any such thing. He knew whose ledger to charge this disruption to, and he had every intention of making certain she paid in full, interest adjusted for twenty-eight years of penalties and interest.

He'd not expected Regina to be desperate enough to do something to Sidney, at least he assumed she had done something to her former pet and was laying the blame for it on him. Not that he would rule it out Sidney's involvement of course, not completely, but he was fairly certain that he had successfully put the fear of Gold into him. Still, he would need to plan for Regina managing to at least have him detained.

Gold was wondering if making certain that the ring had found its way back to Albert Spencer was going to be useful or not. It might have been a bit premature, but the speculation wasn't useful as they pulled up to the station.

 

Inside the station, he was unsurprised to find Regina looking impeccably dressed as usual, and Albert Spencer, who looked none to happy. " Well, three more and we could have a city council meeting, or have the rest been roused from bed as well? Care to tell me what this is in aid of? Your pet having slipped his leash is hardly a reason to get me out of my warm bed."

"What have you done to Sidney Glass?" She growled at him.

"Done to him? I've no idea what you are talking about Madame Mayor. Since when do you involve yourself in the sheriff's job, or at least this sheriff. if you are looking to add law enforcement to your résumé, I should inform you that it is strictly forbidden by the town charter. Of course you could give up the position of Mayor but the Election is not for another almost five years," he purred with an insincere smile.

"Let's get on with this," Spencer growled. "ridiculous hour...no reason...sleep," he continued to mutter under his breath as they moved toward the combination interview room and supply closet.

As Regina started to follow the two men, Emma stepped between them. "Sorry, law enforcement only. You can observe from the window, or maybe you want to go home, be there when Henry wakes up," she said as she closed the door in the mayors face with a click.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, sorry that this is short and late. I lost my bag...which contained both my iPad and my notebook. Unfortunately some stories will probably now never be told becuase they only existed on paper. However, after a couple of weeks that have been miserable at best, I'm back. This is half of the post. The second half will hopefully be up tonight,if my keyboard arrives. Please read, comment, the usual, and thanks for staying with me.


	48. Interogations, pt. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which questions are asked, games are played and details are revealed.

"Okay, this is just an informal interview," Emma said as she took the chair beside the disgruntled Prosecutor. "Of course, if you feel the need to have a lawyer present..."

"I see no need, especially as I _am_ an attorney."

"You know what they say about a man who represents himself," the Sheriff said.

"That may well be, but as this is just an informal interview, I think I'll risk it just this once."

"Get on with it," Spencer growled. Rumplestiltskin wondered again what he would be getting with the man. King George and he had done business together a few times back in the old world, but they'd hardly been friends. In this world, they had been more or less peers, neither particularly friendly nor particularly adversarial. Of course the ring which he saw now gracing the man's hand would likely mean he was more unpredictable than usual.

"Yes please, tell me what this is all to do with. You said something had happened to Sidney? I'll admit we've not bene on the best of terms particularly, ever. But..."

"Let's get the basics out of the way, okay? When was the last time you saw Sidney Glass?" Emma asked.

"About 2:45 this afternoon, well, yesterday afternoon at this point," he said looking at his watch pointedly. "He came by the shop. I'm certain there are a few witnesses, possibly a few dozen. So many people around here seem to have nothing better to do," he said leaning back more comfortably in the chair.

"And what was Mr. Glass doing there?" Spencer asked suddenly.

"It was in the nature of a business matter we were concluding. Just some paperwork actually. I can say no more, you know, client confidentiality," he told them both, his smile wide and knowing.

"Sidney Glass was a client of yours?" the Sheriff asked in disbelief.

"In general, no. It was actually just this one very specific business deal."

"A business deal that you can't or won't tell us about?" Emma leaned forward across the table.

"Not particularly. What I can say, Miss Swan, is that I must abide by the law, as must we all." Gold gave her a look of complete meek innocence. Not that she, or anyone else would believe it, of course, but she would know he wasn't lying After all, while they would never be able to prove it, having her know that he was telling the strict truth would serve his purpose. "I can say that it was nothing unusual and certainly had nothing to do with whatever has happened to him. Now, may I ask, what exactly has happened to him? And what has any of it to do with me?"

"You didn't see him after he left?"

"No, nor was their any need. Look, Sidney called me about something he needed, I drew up the papers, he came to the shop, concluded his business with me and left."

"Where you aware of his plans?" Spencer asked. He was looking edgy and apparently chafing at the lack of control or possibly feeling the need to take his being woken up out on someone.

"Do you mean was I aware he planned to leave Storybrooke? Then yes, I was. I was also aware that he was going to Granny's after he left, something rather nostalgic about that overpriced lasagna of hers. Beyond that, not particularly."

"Did he tell you why he was leaving town?" Emma asked. She was determined to get through this and he could tell she hated the interference as well as every moment of this conversation. "Because, I was under the impression he thought you were a threat to him."

"I? Hardly. We didn't talk particularly, but I had the impression from something that he said, that he was feeling that his skills were underappreciated here. He was looking for something more...interesting than covering small town gossip. Storybrooke is hardly a hotbed of scandal and crime, no offense, Sheriff, but the fact that we have not had a problem getting by with only you, though the budget permits a deputy, says a great deal about our potential as a repository for cutting edge journalism."

Emma ignored his comment. "After Sidney left, what did you do?" The Sheriff asked.

"If it's an alibi you are after, Sheriff Swan, I'm afraid you will need to be much more specific. The shop was open til 5:00 as usual. I answered any number of phone calls from tenants about storm repairs before then. In fact, the Mayor came in just as I was closing up. She and I talked for a few moments, and then I finished closing. Dove came by to bring my car back to me, and then I went home where I was until you came and woke me up. Obviously there is no one in town that can vouch for me after that. I received no phone calls, went no place. It's possible the neighbour noticed my car in the drive, but that is as good as it gets. Now, I have been more than cooperative with you. If you wish me to continue in that spirit of cooperation, I suggest you tell me what exactly is going on." His voice had lowered and hardened. Emma was aware for the first time of exactly why people were afraid of him. It wasn't just the air of power about him, but there was definitely something darker beneath the surface, something that he had chosen never to show her before that moment.

"Sidney Glass is missing. His car was found empty near the town sign."

"Accident?" he asked, showing little reaction. "Happens with disturbing regularity. As I recall, you had a similar experience when you first came here."

"No sign of it. He didn't hit anything, there are no skid marks. But there was blood in the car, and this," she said, showing him a photograph of a handgun. "Do you recognise it?"

"Should do, it's mine, at least I assume it is. The serial number should be checked of course," he said, not showing the least bit of concern. Inside, however, he was making plans. There were two possiblities; the first was that Sidney had betrayed him. Gold didn't think it was likely, but it was possible certainly. The second and far more likely was that Regina had done something to him. Was the gun planted or forgotten, he wondered.

"And do you know why it was found near Sidney's car?" she asked.

For a moment he saw a glitter in the back of Spencer's eyes. ' _Looks like a bit of Georgie boy is coming back to life,_ ' the imp whispered in his ear. Unfortunate but it couldn't be helped now.

"Not a clue. The last time I saw it, Sidney was putting it in the pocket of his overcoat."

"You gave it to Sidney?" The prosecuter looked more awake than ever.

"Not exactly, more in the nature of a loan. I've another at home and before you ask, I have the permits, as you well know. However, Maine law is fairly liberal about firearms. A permit is not required to carry a weapon. Sidney expressed concern over where he would be staying until he got things sorted." It was close enough to the truth anyway.

"And you gave it to him for what? Out of the goodness of your heart?" She asked smartly.

"Not at all, Sheriff. Anyone in town will tell you I don't have one," he said, with a shark's smile, his eyes narrowing. "I made the loan to him as part of our deal. After all, if something happened to him, I'd not get my end of the agreement. It was in my best interests to take his concerns seriously."

"And did he tell you what exactly it was he was concerned about?"

"Do I look like an agony aunt?" he growled. Suddenly he was tired of the entire thing. His leg was starting to ache and Belle was at home. This was most certainly not going anywhere. "If you are looking for confidences, you'd best ask Archie Hopper. He just said he was concerned."

"I thought the only person he was afraid of was you," the Sheriff said, bringing the questioning back annoyingly to the beginning.

"Clearly not," he said shortly. "Now, as it seems you have asked all your questions, none of which required dragging me from my bed at an ungodly hour of the morning, and we are now circling back..."

"Those gun permits..." Emma said. She was tired of it all as well.

"You should have copies, however, I will have Dove bring mine over to you, in the...well, later today," he said looking meaningfully at his watch.

"Just give us a moment," Spencer said. Something was definitely stirring in the back of his eyes, and Gold knew he was calculating which one of them would serve his ends better, versus who it was safer to offend. Certainly he cared nothing for Sidney or his well being, but then neither did Regina, particularly. He was fairly certain that she had done all of this, rather like she had set up Moe French because she wanted to cage him for long enough to get him nailed down on her deal. She wanted to force him to try to keep the curse going. This was going to require some very careful thought. Meanwhile, he was worried about Belle alone at home. Surely this would not take long.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, thank you, thank you, for all the new comments, and kudos, and of course for reading. Here is the second part, with much cursing on the part of the author, learning a new Keyboard (who puts the lock button where the backspace is supposed to be?). Happy Halloween, Blessed Samhain and Happy New Year. 
> 
> With a little luck, there will be a Halloween treat later....


	49. That Awkward Transition Phase

Outside. Sheriff Swan was in the middle of an argument she didn't even want to be a party to. "He's responsible for what happened to Sidney, you need to do your job and lock him up until he tells you what happened," the Mayor said imperiously.

"If he is responsible," Emma said. "I need evidence to charge him or it doesn't much matter. Right now, we don't even know that anything happened to Sidney. Gus and Jim towed the car back to the garage to see if there is anything wrong. David took Leroy and a couple of his buddies out to check the road between the town line and Granny's, since that's the last place we know he was. I didn't find any fingerprints on the car except Sidney's either inside or on the door, or window."

"Of course you didn't, everyone is wearing gloves. In case your investigative skills have failed you, you'll have noticed it's winter," Regina practically spat.

"What about the gun, I suppose we could hold him for that, at least until he provides the paperwork. Of course, knowing him, it is all in meticulous order," Spencer said, contributing for the first time. Emma didn't care for the DA, something about him made her uncomfortable. Right now, she was fairly certain she was caught in some kind of tug of war between Gold and Regina and that Spencer was trying to decide which side to back, or possibly how to play the two against one another. "Technically we can hold him for twenty four hours without charging him," he said vaguely. "At the very least he could be a material witness, he admitted to giving the man a weapon and it was known that there was tension between them over the break in, or whatever it was that happened the other day," he said, though he seemed to be talking to himself rather than either of them. "Sheriff, if you can't find any evidence against him in that time, release him." He was looking at Regina as he said it. "If there is anything to find. I am giving you a little leeway on this, but only a little. I'm not going to put my office or public safety at risk with no evidence that there has even been a crime committed. Now, if you will excuse me, I'm going home to bed." The last was growled as he turned his back on the two of them.

 _Doesn't want to be around when I tell Gold,_ Emma thought. _Smart man_. It didn't take a brain surgeon to see what it was that he was doing. If there was evidence, it was up to Emma to find it. If not, Gold was back on the street with very little doubt as to who to blame. Meanwhile, she was stuck having to explain to Gold why he wasn't going home to his comfy bed, and if there was anything she was certain of, it was that the man wouldn't be the least bit happy about it.

 

"Okay, Gold," Emma said as she walked back into the room, her face set in the blank mask she had learned in one of her foster homes, when trying to avoid punishment for something she didn't do.

"I trust that we are finished here? I would like some sleep before I have to open the store," he sneered at her. He might know that the game was necessary, but that didn't mean he was going to make it easy on anyone. Gold began to rise from his seat, but the sheriff waved him down.

"Not quite yet, Mr. Gold, I'm afraid that you are going to be here for at least the rest of the...morning," she told him.

"What exactly are you planning on holding me on? I have done nothing, in fact you have no evidence that anything has been done, so on what grounds are you planning to hold me?"

"We can hold you for twenty four hours without charging you according to the DA and right now I don't have a lot of options, unless you can give me an alibi for what you were doing from time you left your shop, or give me an idea where to find Sidney Glass, I have got not choice."

"I'm quite aware of your choices, Sheriff Swan, unfortunately, whether we like it or not, we all have to live with them. I assume there won't be a problem with my making my phone call? After all, I have to make arrangements for you to get those permits, or you will have me locked up on firearms violations," he said. He wasn't smiling.

Fifteen minutes later, the sheriff had taken him out of the interrogation broom cupboard, filled in the paperwork, and, with a slight bit more discussion, had left him alone in her office to place his phone call in privacy. He could see her hovering outside the glass, watching, just to make sure he didn't do anything suspicious. Gold picked up the phone and dialed a number from memory. First and most important things first, though, Belle.

Harry Dove didn't care to be woken up in the middle of the night particularly, but it happened from time to time. It was the nature of the job, water heaters burst, a wrongly slammed door shattered a window, or the pilot light on the furnace went, generally at the worst possible moment. It was probably something important at this hour. He picked up the phone and instantly he changed his mind, this was definitely more than important. He was still dressing as he hurried towards the door.

Belle had done what Richard asked her to and returned to the warm bed, but she hadn't been able to sleep. It was warm, it was comfortable, but she was terribly frightened. What if's swirled in her head and she couldn't seem to get settled. Finally after what seemed like eternity (but was probably only a half an hour) she rose from the warm, Gold-scented bed, and went down to make a cup of tea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry it has been a while since I have updated everything. Having just got my friend's wedding finished, and NaNoWriMo started, I got a little bit of a time crunch. The Halloween surprise is still coming, just I am massively behind on everything so I beg your indulgence and pray that you will all continue to read and comment, and all those lovely things.


	50. Making a Deal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the Cliffhanger...not really.

The remainder of the night for Gold passed in the unfortunately familiar discomfort of the cell in the Sheriff's office. Sheriff Swan had allowed him to keep his shoes belt and tie, though she had to take his cane. Protocal she said. "I don't think you are the suicidal type, Gold. Especially not over a twenty four hour hold that both of us know won't hold up. I'm guessing that you will be applying for your release as soon as the courthouse opens...later today."

"Actually, Sheriff, I am waiting for copies of my permits and hoping that the evidence and good sense prevail. After all, if someone is trying to set me up, the best alibi in the world is being right here under your watchful eye. But thank you for allowing me some dignity," he said, flicking a look down to his shoes. She was pretty certain that without his cane, moving was difficult enough, a pair of shoes more or less mattered little.

"I know you didn't hurt Sidney," she said with a small shrug. "I just don't know what has happened to him, or what to do about it. Any ideas?'"

"Not at the moment. If I think of anything, I will notify you, of course."

Ruby Lucas came in first thing in the morning. Since Granny's was contracted to provide meals to the jail, Gold was unsurprised when she nodded through the window to the sheriff, who was on the telephone, and carefully maneuvered the container of food, and then of coffee through the bars. "You didn't do this, did you?" she hissed quietly.

"No," he said simply, taking the container.

"Yeah, I figured you weren't going to leave Belle alone any more than you had to. How is she?"

"I asked Dove to go to the house and keep an eye on her. If someone is willing to go to these lengths to get me out of the way, I'll make sure she is safe. I am sure that your company would be appreciated as well," he told her. He didn't let her see how worried he was for Belle, he couldn't. All of what had remained of the night he had been unable to sleep worrying about her.

"As soon as lunch is over," she whispered. Emma had hong up the phone and opened her office door and Ruby stepped away from the bars. "Hey Emma, brought your coffee too."

"You're a lifesaver, Ruby," she said, waving her into her office.

"God, what is that awful smell?" Ruby asked from the doorway, not taking another step forward into the room.

"What awful smell?" Emma asked, looking at her friend. "Hey, I know I haven't had a shower yet, but I don't think I smell that bad. Do I?"

Ruby sniffed again. "No, definitely not you...it smells like..." she followed her nose to the paper evidence bag sitting on the desk, and gave it an experimental sniff. "Ewwwwww, it's like an ultra cheap generic Axe body spray knock off. How can you not smell it? What is it, and can you send it back?"

"Not sure, a scrap of cloth I found caught in the door of Sidney Glass's car. Are you sure about the smell?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. I've got some kind of super good sense of smell, always have. It can be kind of annoying actually."

"Hey," Emma asked as an idea struck her. "Sidney has been in the diner a lot, does it smell like him? I mean does it smell like the kind of thing he would wear?"

"No, Sidney's strickly Old Spice, not too much of it, which I appreciate. Old Spice, ink, and too much cheap booze, at least recently, that's it. I can't see him ever wearing that, and even if he did, he doesn't bathe in the stuff."

"And Gold?" she lowered her voice as if he could hear them from a distance.

"That crap?" Ruby asked incredulously, looking between Emma and the bag in disgust. "Not in a million years. Not sure what he does wear, something subtle, and probably more expensive than either of us could afford. And like Sidney, he doesn't bathe in the stuff. Whoever this is thinks body spray is a substitute for showering."

Emma thought hard for a minute, the made a decision. "Ruby, can Granny do without you for a little while this morning? I think I could use your help in a police matter."

"Cool. I'm sure if it's official police business. Could be pretty interesting. She'll be okay with it, especially if I'm back for the lunch rush."

"Gold, I'm going out on a lead..."

"Well, it's not as if I'm going anywhere," he grimaced. "Run along Sheriff Swan. The sooner you find something, the sooner I'm out from behind these bars."

"Yeah, just...er...stay put," she said as she pulled her leather jacket on and she and Ruby left the station.

Gold had almost finished his breakfast when the door opened again. "Emma?" Henry Mills called as he came into the main part of the office, only to stop when he saw Gold calmly eating breakfast in a cell.

"Mr. Gold...what are you doing in there, and where is my mom?"

"Those two questions are somewhat related, and it depends on which of your mums you are looking for. It seems Sidney Glass has disappeared and some pressure was exerted to get me held for it. Sheriff Swan is out following a lead that might actually solve the case." Gold smiled at the boy. He'd always rather liked Henry. Besides, if Regina wanted to put pressure on him, here was a perfect opportunity to return the favour. He looked Henry straight in the eyes. "That is what the Evil Queen does, lad."

Henry looked at him and then looked around carefully. He didn't want anyone to hear especially Regina. "You know...I mean you believe...:

"Aye, of course I do. I know all about the curse, Snow White, and the Savior. Perhaps...perhaps we can strike a deal, you and I," he said moving a little closer to the bars. "I will give you the answer to the question you have been trying to find for some time, in exchange for a small favour for me."

"What question is that?" Henry asked. He was intrigued but at the same time, it was Mr. Gold. Nobody ever got the best of a deal with Mr. Gold. Still, it seemed safe enough, depending on what the favour was.

"Why, I will tell you who I am, my true name. After all, dearie, names have power. Do we have a deal?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is actually the original scene that started the idea rolling in my head. I just hadn't got around to writing it. Thank you for reading, and especially those of you who comment. I will be expecting to duck a lot for this one, but...Enjoy.


	51. The Deal is Struck

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Henry strikes a deal and learns a lot more than he bargained.

"What kind of deal are we talking about here, Mr. Gold," Henry asked cautiously. He was still getting over the fact that the man not only believed him, but seemed to know things. "'Cos I'm pretty sure that a jail break would mean both of my mothers would ground me until I was forty."

"No no, nothing like that, nothing even the slightest bit illegal. The Sheriff is out pursuing a lead right now, and I have every faith in her ability to find the truth. Of course that's her talent, now isn't it, the ability to know when someone is lying."

"How did you...no one knows that," Henry said.

"I know a lot of things about a lot of things, I might even share one or two of them with you later. But for now about our deal..."

"Okay, what is it you want me to do?" Henry asked moving closer to the bars so they could talk.

"Simple, I want you to take your book, your very special book, over to my house. There is someone there, a young woman who I would very much like to read it."

"Is this dating stuff, cause I don't really..." Inside the cage Rumplestiltskin sighed and prayed for strength. This would work, it had to work. Oh, it might not break the curse, or bring all of Belle's memories back, but it was a start, and it would add to the pressure that he could feel building rather nicely.

"No, not in the least, certainly not in anyway you are thinking. Actually it is more in the nature of helping to break the curse. You do want to break the curse, don't you?" He asked the young man.

"How? I thought only Emma could break the curse."

"That is, in the strictest sense, true. But the curse is a bit like a thick cable made up of many strands, each one under a great deal of pressure. So, the more people's memories start to come back, the more that people start reuniting with their lost loved ones, like Snow and Charming, the more the pressure builds. There are side effects and the more side effects, the harder it is to ignore."

"Like evidence in a murder case, and the more evidence, the more she has to believe," Henry said eagerly, following Gold. "Cool. So all I have to do is go over to your house and let this woman read my book? Who is she Mr. Gold?"

"Belle," he said softly. "Her name is Belle. Regina locked her up in the Enchanted Forest, and when we arrived here, well, she did the same thing. But unlike the rest of the people in this town, the Evil Queen gave Belle no memories."

"None? Like she doesn't know anything?"

"Nothing about herself, nothing about her life either here or there. A week ago, someone helped her escape and sent her to me. She had been...hiding out as it were, in my house ever since."

"Okay that seems like it should be okay," he said, thinking it over carefully. After all, why would Mr. Gold lie to him. It wasn't like he was going to kidnap him or anything, he was locked in jail. "All right, Mr. Gold, you have a deal," he said, holding out his right hand. The older man took it and shook it carefully.

"We do indeed," he agreed. There was something different about him, something about his smile.

"So, who are you?"

"Back in the Enchanted Forest I was known by many names, The Dark One, The Spinner, The Deal Maker, each as good as the next. But what you are looking for is my real name....Rumplestiltskin, at your service," he said, with a flourish of his hand that would have sent a chill through most of the town.

"So your...That means Belle is the Belle, as in Beauty and the Beast, so you are..."

"The Beast, yes. Not the first time I've been called that, in either world."

"So Belle is your True Love, and you threw her out because..." he started.

"That is a more complicated story, for another time, perhaps." _Like never,_ he thought to himself. _Damn cursed book_. "Meanwhile, I am trusting you a great deal, Henry. If Regina found out about Belle, she would try to take her back, and that could end unfortunately."

"But I thought you were the one that made the curse, why to you want to break it? I mean unless...you knew about my mom being the Savior...so... OH...The curse was never meant to last forever, it was like on a magical timer or something." Henry said, proud of his ability to put the pieces together. Now that he knew Gold was Rumplestiltskin, everything made sense.

"Gold star, Lad. You have just figured out something that Regina seems incapable of learning. Just as all magic has a price, so too does it have a limit, and the limit of this curse has been reached, the time has come for it to end."

"So you can get your true love back too, right?"

"The thought had occurred to me, yes," he said. He could feel the imp stronger than ever inside him, old mannerisms trying to come to the surface.

"And that is why the Evil Queen kept Belle locked up, over there and here. Because she told you that Belle was dead, didn't she? I read that part in my book. But if she ever really needed something she would have Belle as a bargaining piece. That must be why she wants you locked up, since she doesn't have Belle, she needs to find another way to get you to help her. She doesn't know you want the curse to end." Henry was mostly talking to himself at this point, and Gold knew he needed to move the boy along before his mother returned, or Regina came looking for her deal.

"Exactly. So, after you get out of school, Dove will meet you. He will take you to my house to meet Belle."

"Yeah, she probably wouldn't answer the door to me anyway, what with the hiding out and all.  Besides, someone might see me. So you just want me to get her to read the book? Will that even help? And what if it doesn't?"

"It can't hurt, and even if it doesn't bring her memory back straight away, it might work on it, rather like it did on Graham." There was a pause as both of them remembered the man that they knew. "But that is not really your problem, is it lad? Your part of the bargain is to go over there are get her to read the book, the rest will happen as it happens," Gold said with a shrug. "Tell her I sent you because I was worried about her being alone, tell her whatever you like, but don't tell her about the curse, not yet. I don't think she is quite ready for..." Whatever he was about to say was interrupted by the sound of voices in the hall.

"I don't care about what that girl thinks she smelled or what leads you follow. I'm telling you right now, Gold is behind it..." They heard Regina's voice in the hall. Henry ducked down under the empty desk that no one really used.

"Well knowing and being able to prove it are two different things, Regina. Right now I have zero proof that Gold was anywhere other than where he says he was. I will question the neighbours this afternoon. The one couple was out to dinner and they aren't on the side of the house where his driveway is, and the woman on the other side works the late shift at the hospital so I can't ask her until she gets up, meanwhile..." The two women continued their argument straight into Emma's office, where Regina slammed the door, only pausing long enough to smirk in Gold's direction. The minute her back was turned, he nodded to Henry, who, it appeared, had a certain amount of experience as he crept below the level of the window and hurried quickly outside the door, only looking back before he slipped out.

One more thread, Gold thought. Inside, Rumplestiltskin cackled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So. I have been on a roll for some reason. For which I am grateful. Also, thanks to all of you who have read, commented, Kudo'ed etc. The kudo's help, the comments even more so. Please keep them up. And enjoy the ride.


	52. Cookies and Coping

Belle was sitting in the kitchen drinking tea and trying to focus on the book in front of her. She hadn't been getting very far though, her mind unable to let go. After the Sheriff had taken Richard away, she had tried to do as he asked and get some rest, but she had been unable to relax. After tossing and turning, she had finally given up, pulled on the dressing gown that Richard had left thrown over the chair and headed down to make tea.

Dove had found her there in the kitchen. He had come in quietly, expecting her to be asleep, and they had managed to startle each other. It was he who had told her about Richard being held, if only for the night.

"Mr. Gold is the best attorney in town, I doubt he will be in there much longer. After all, they have no evidence. I'm to bring his copies of the permits down to the office in a few hours, I'm certain that it will all be taken care of quickly."

"Of course it will, he didn't do anything. He was here the entire time, he has an alibi. But I can't just walk into the Sheriff's station. Or perhaps I can..."

"No, Miss Belle, Mr. Gold would never want that," Dove said.

"But if it would get him home," she said. "I can't just let them lock him up for no good reason, especially not if I can prove his innocence."

"I am certain that Mr. Gold can handle this, Miss. Give him a little time, at least for me to talk to him and see what he would like me to do."

Belle had given in, reluctantly. She wanted him back home, but she knew he would be furious if she were to put herself at risk, at least not until there was no other choice. Faced with no other choice, she did the next best thing. Starting with making a large an elaborate breakfast which she then guilted Dove into eating with her. Or rather she had tried to eat herself, poking around the the food on her plate seemed as much as she could manage. Afterward, she set about cleaning the house from top to bottom. As soon as it could reasonably be considered a decent hour, Dove collected the necessary paperwork and went down to the Sheriff's office, probably trying to escape the flurry of dust and cleansers.

By the time he had returned, she had started to bake as well, the kitchen smelled of bread baking, and scones, a large pot on the stove merrily cooking away. Dove thought to himself that he hoped that his boss was hungry because it looked at if this was how she was coping with his incarceration.

"You've seen Richard? Is he alright? When are they going to let him go?" She said the moment she saw him. Dove was not the most emotional of men, he knew that. But watching her hurt, he knew he needed to do something. Carefully he let her hug him and patted her gently on the back.

"Mr. Gold is fine, if not happy. He would much prefer to be home of course. The permits are in order, and I gave the Sheriff my statement but she didn't seem all that interested. I don't think she believes he is guilty," he told her, trying to be reassuring.

"Does she have any leads, anything that doesn't point to Richard?"

"I don't know. But Mr. Gold told me that Ruby Lucas is going to come and see you after lunch. She's a friend of the sheriff, perhaps she will know. Then there is Henry. The boss asked me to bring him over here after school," he told her. It seemed odd to him. Henry was a good kid, a little lonely, probably. Still it seemed odd to trust the son of both the women who had him in jail. Oh, Dove had no illusions that the Sheriff thought Mr. Gold had done anything to Sidney. He was pretty good at reading people and he was almost certain, as was his boss, that Regina was behind it, interested in keeping him caged just long enough to get him to agree with whatever plan it was she was cooking up. But he would do as he was told.

He taught Belle how to screen calls using the answering machine, and which buttons to push to erase things, then, having been assured and reassured that she would be fine on her own for a little while, went off to make some inquires on his own. The Lucas girl would probably come by after the lunch rush, and he would be back after picking up the Mills kid, so she wouldn't be alone for long. Mr. Gold wouldn't want her left alone for long, especially right now. Still, they had to make it look as normal as possible, and his remaining in the house was not. Besides, if he could find something on the seamier side of Storybrooke that would get Gold home, that would make Miss Belle even happier, both of them, actually. That was the important thing.

It was after one in the afternoon when Belle heard the phone ring and went to listen to the answering machine as Dove had showed her. "Hey. Uh...this is Ruby, from the diner..."

Belle grabbed the phone and hit the button to stop the machine. "I'm here," she said quickly so the other woman didn't hang up.

"Hey, I thought I would come and see how you are doing. I know this whole thing sucks. Can I bring you anything, beside the obvious?" she asked.

"Could you bring me some fruit maybe? Something for a pie? I've been trying keep myself calm and..."

"I get it. Granny bakes when she is upset. I'll be there is like fifteen minutes, back door, okay?"

"I'll be waiting."

Almost exactly twenty minutes later there was a quiet tap at the back door, and a quiet voice near the window. "Hey, Belle, it's me..."

The young woman had been waiting at the table just close enough that she could identify movement, but not close enough to be seen. She jumped up and unlocked the door, urging the other woman into the warm kitchen. Ruby could tell she was not doing very well, if she was like Granny anyway. There were two loaves of bread cooling, a tray of scones, and on the stove there was a large pot that smelled of chicken soup. In addition to the plethora of baked goods, every surface was gleaming, the floor looked as if she had just taken a steam cleaner to it.

"Hey Belle, I gotta say, you need to chill a little. If Gold eats all this, he'll never fit into those suits of his. You must have used all the flour in the house. I brought blueberries, and some cherries. The store is still pretty picked over, but these looked good." She handed over the bag to Belle, and she took them over to the sink to start washing the fruit.

"Hey, sit, take a load off," Ruby said, as she guided her to the table. "Knives?" she asked, and Belle pointed to a drawer. "Alright. At least you can sit, and I'll help you," she said. "We are going to have to do this the hard way, since I doubt Gold has anything so useful as a cherry pitter." She grabbed two small knives out of the drawer and the bowl from beside the sink. Belle jumped up to grab a newspaper out of the bin by the door, and lay it down over the table.

"Okay, now," Ruby said, taking another chair and putting the bowl and the washed cherries between them. "I've seen Gold, which you know, I'm sure that Dove told you." Belle nodded. "Yeah, if there is anyone Gold trusts, its Dove. Besides its not like he talks much to anyone. So, it was pointed out to Emma, by me actually, that if Gold was going to do something like that, he would need help, and Dove is that help. Of course, since Dove was with Leroy out at the convent until after Sidney's car was found, taking apart the furnace, that is a big plus in his favour. Also, there was this smell, like the stuff teen boys use so they don't have to shower, in the car. I helped Emma follow it for a while but we lost the trail, sorry. I'm kind of one of those people with a really sensitive nose."

"Richard would never wear something like that," Belle said excitedly. "That proves he didn't do it."

"Richard?" Ruby said. She had never actually heard anyone, not even Regina call Mr. Gold anything but Mr. Gold. Interesting, she thought, but really none of her business. "Not so fast, Belle, and watch that knife, I'm pretty sure Gold would get pretty pissed at me if you cut yourself."

Belle looked down and tried to pay attention to what she was doing, but she could feel a little bit of excitement building. Maybe it would be all right, maybe Richard would be home soon. "I'll try, I'm just...I don't want to be alone here without him."

"Okay, so we lost the scent, but, I smelled it again, when I was at the store. So, I called Emma. Honestly, if I hadn't been anxious to get over here and see you and tell you what was happening, I would have gone with her. She is going to check it out right now, isn't that great!"

"Oh, Ruby, why didn't you tell me the minute you got here," Belle said jumping up and only just managing not to grab Ruby. Instead she held her hands out very carefully before giving the other girl a cherry free hug.

"Because I thought you ought to calm down a little, chill out. Emma might not find anything but at least she's working on it, doing something. Besides, she said that they can only hold him for so long without any evidence to charge him, so don't worry so much. Let's get those pies in the oven. I'll help."

 

Gold sat on the thin pallet in the jail cell. He had to admit, overall, it was nicer than some other cells he had been in, but that didn't mean he didn't want to be out of here. It was chafing and he just hoped that Regina came by and made her pitch soon. He didn't relish her planting more evidence against him so she could keep him caged for longer. Dove had brought him a few things, his toothbrush, deodorant, hair brush and a book, no doubt supplied by Belle to allow him to pass the time. Dove had said little about how Belle was coping though from what he wasn't saying, she wasn't doing it terribly well. His Belle worried too much, she always had. He remembered vividly coming back to the Dark Castle two days late, to find that she had cleaned everything in sight and was balanced on that damnable ladder he had thought he'd got rid of, taking down the crystals from the chandelier to clean them. She'd also cooked half the food in the kitchen. It was how she coped. _At least she's gotten to be a better cook?_ the imp whispered in the back of his mind.

"Going out," Emma Swan said, cell phone pressed firmly to her ear and she tried to pull on her leather coat one handed. "The grocery store? Ok, next door. No, I'll do the following. Do you know his name? Keith...yeah...He does?" She said as she hurried out the door, still putting herself together.

Interesting, he thought. There was only one Keith in town, the former Sheriff of Nottingham who had once almost fatally insulted his lady. In Storybrooke he did odd jobs, only working enough to keep himself in a relatively permanent state of inebriation, but not enough to be more than an irritant. But before he could contemplate the implications any more closely, he heard the door opening quietly. At the first step he knew exactly who it was. "Come along in, dearie. The Sheriff has gone out, as you are no doubt aware, and you have gone to so very much trouble to put me in this cage. Can I assume that you are finally ready to get to the point?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, here is a little more for you. I promise Belle and Henry come next but the scenes were just getting so long. Thank you for all the comments, the kudos and everything. I appreciate it, the muse appreciates it, and hopefully it spurs getting more done.


	53. Negotiation tactics

"Rumple, I would think considering our respective positions that you would be a little more...:

"A little more what, dearie, servile, cowed, intimidated perhaps? You forget that I taught you everything you know about negotiation. It's a pity you were such a poor student. As to my current 'circumstances', I've been in far worse cells in my life and since you are no doubt aware, you will not be able to hold me for too much longer without costing the city a great deal of money it can ill afford..." He paused, the almost pleasant smile leaving his face, his eyes darkening to the point that she could almost see the overlarge irises of the imp she had known. "Get to the Point."

"The point, Rumple, is that you want out of that cage, and I want your help splitting Mary Margaret and David apart. Since this seems to be the only way I can get a private chat with you, without being disturbed." Regina shrugged.

"Well at least you've finally made a decision. Not going to try to put he and Abigail back together? Probably best. Not one of your better ideas, dearie. Two pairs of True Lovers separated and put with one another. Suppose its a good thing you didn't try Fredrick with Mary Margaret, probably would have backfired and taken half the town. Curses are delicate things, unfortunately subtlety was also a lesson you got poor marks in. Now for the other question what do I get out of it? I can tell you after this little stunt, the price had gone up, alot."

"You are hardly in a position to negotiate now are you?"

"Are you really going to try that with me, dearie? We both know who did or did not hurt your...little pet."

"Perhaps, but you are the one that everyone knows was angry with him. So, you do what I want and I..."

"Regina," he said, his voice dropping low in anger. "You realise that if you do this, you'll have burned this bridge, forever. No one tries to cheat Rumplestiltskin on a deal."

"Whose cheating?" she asked. "I'm just renegotiating form a position of strength," she told him. "But clearly you aren't ready to deal, yet. Let's see what another night away from your warm bed and comfortable life does for your position." The Evil Queen turned on her very expensive heel and headed toward the door, his dark eyes boring holes in her back as she went.

The moment Regina was outside and sitting safely in her car, she breathed a sigh of relief. It was a dangerous game she was playing and she knew it, but there was no other way, not now. She grabbed her cell phone and dialed a number.

"You just listen, I want you to take that stuff and hide it. No, not the shop, the house. The shop is too public especially when everyone in town knows he is in jail. Besides, there is the alarm system. He is too smart to hide anything there anyway." She paused and listened to the voice on the other end of the phone.

"No, no one will see you. Besides no one would think he was stupid enough to leave evidence at his shop. I told you, it's too public...yes the skeleton keys, one of them will work. Use the back door, wait 'til right after dark. That nosy neighbour of his works night shift at the hospital...and no drinking til after it's done, understand?" She listened and then clicked the phone off. Now they would see who was and who wasn't the better negotiator.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In honour of the fact that I am almost finished with my NaNoWriMo project (1456 words left with one day to go), I finally got around to typing this little tidbit up. It's short but important. Thank you to all of the people still reading this story, hope you enjoy, read, comment etc.


	54. Operation Cobra

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What you have been waiting for...Belle meets Henry.

Henry Mills was having more fun than he had in ages. He had gotten out of school and slipped down past the play ground to meet Dove on the other side of the trees near the forest. Once he was in the front seat of the pick up truck he had ducked down so that no one could see him. This was epic, like a real spy movie. It made Operation Cobra all that much more real. Oh, the cloak and dagger might not have been completely necessary, but why take a chance? Especially when they had just gotten one giant step closer, at least that was how he was seeing it. It wasn't just him anymore, there were others who knew and who believed. Gold was right, the more people that believed, the harder it would be for Emma not to.

But now he was still going over the new stuff he had learned. Honestly, since the man had told him, he was feeling like kind of an idiot for having not seen it before. After all, really, who else could Mr. Gold be and now they had him on their side, well as much as he was ever on anyone's side. But Henry figured it this way, if he had learned anything from his book, it was that the Dark One had his own plan and just as willing to help others as long as either it helped him, or didn't interfere with his plans. He wasn't certain but having the terrifying Mr. Gold on his side (or the Dark One, which was even more terrifying but probably even more useful), participating in Operation Cobra meant they were even closer to the end. Everyone would get their happy endings back, and maybe, if Rumplestiltskin could have a True Love, then that had to mean that anyone, even villains could have one, which meant there was hope for the Evil Queen.

It wasn't that he hated his adopted mother, well not all the time anyway. But there was something really dark in her, and maybe when she realised that there was hope, maybe she could become good. But right now he needed to concentrate on his part. He had made a deal with Rumplestiltskin, and no one screwed up a deal with the Dark One if they wanted to come out of it intact, even if this was a pretty easy one. He was a little worried about the lady, Belle. After what had happened to Graham, he had been really confused and not wanted anyone else to read his book in case they got hurt. But then if anyone could protect Belle from Regina, it was Mr. Gold. He'd actually hate to think what might happen to his mom then. Maybe he should think about some kind of deal to protect her, except he couldn't think of anything he had to offer the Dark One. He was still trying to figure it out when they pulled up outside the big pink house. He'd always wondered if the house wasn't pink because his mom wanted to get back at Gold, now he was pretty sure he was right about that.

Dove got out and looked around before going to the door and unlocking it, then motioned for Henry to join him. Inside, it looked and smelled like a bake shop. "Miss Belle, this is Henry Mills, he's..." Dove thought about it for a moment, trying to figure out how best to explain the complicated relationship he had with the Sheriff and the Mayor.

"Hi, I'm Henry," the boy said stepping forward and shaking her hand in a very grown up manner. "Mr. Gold asked me to come by to show you my book. He said you really like books."

"Well hello Henry, it's good to meet you. I really do like books. Would you like something, some cocoa and maybe a scone?" she asked. Henry looked wide eyes at the trays of scones set on the counter. "I'm afraid I bake when I'm upset and right now..."

"Yeah, I know, on account of Mr. Gold's being in jail. But don't worry, my mom will get him out. She's the best at what she does, and she used to actually find people for a living. I'll have a scone, I've never had one before. Then I can show you my book. It's kind of old and has really great pictures in it. I think it might be an antique. Miss Blanchard gave it to me, she's my teacher at school." After another moment listening to Henry put Belle at ease, Dove nodded to her and headed out to get a part he needed to finish fixing that water heater for Marco. He figured he had an hour before he had to get the kid back, then he was going to park his truck at home and come back to the house. Gold didn't want Belle alone and neither of them wanted anyone to know he was keeping watch. Besides, he had a little something he wanted to pursue on his own.

Belle hadn't been certain about Henry or why Richard thought that she needed to meet him, but she decided that she trusted him about everything, especially about the people of Storybrooke, none of whom she remembered. So she made the boy some cocoa and gave him scones and listened to him talk about how he was the Mayor's son, only not really because he was adopted, and how recently he had found his birth mother and brought her back to town.

"She's the sheriff now, after...well after what happened to Graham," he said a little sadly. He was looking at her, and she wondered if he was hoping to bring some memory back. Of course Belle didn't remember Henry any more than she remembered anyone else, and when she had asked him if he had known her before, he had said only that he knew who she was.

"What happened to Graham?" she asked quietly. She didn't know who Graham was, but something was poking her, even though the name meant nothing to her.

"The...my Mom, Regina, she said he had a heart attack. Dr. Whale said it was an 'undiagnosed heart defect' but I don't know what that means, and between you and me, he's kind of creepy. He just kind of reminds me of a mad scientist from a movie, you know?" Belle nodded and led him through to the lounge where the fire was laid on. Even though the heat was back, Belle liked the fire, it just felt right.

Henry turned around and around. "Wow, this is cool. I've never been in Mr. Gold's house before. He has some awesome stuff," the boy said looking like he was wishing he had three more eyes. It took a few moment before Henry could stop looking around and settle down.

"Now, show me this book," she said as they both sat down. She had to admit it was beautiful, the red leather cover slightly worn but clearly old, the gilding very well done, each letter a work of art. Belle ran her hands lovingly over it, enjoying the feel of it.

Henry was taking her through, showing her the illustrations when something in his backpack started to crackle. He reached in and grabbed out a big old fashioned walkie talkie. "Hey Emma," he said into the thing making a sign for Belle to be quiet. She understood. Richard might trust the Sheriff but she was pretty certain that the trust did not extend to knowing about her.

"Hey kiddo, where are you? Regina just stopped me and asked if you were with me, almost ruined some surveillance I had going."

"Operation Cobra business," he said. He knew he shouldn't say it in front of Belle, especially since she really wasn't in on it, not yet, but he figured she would just think it was some kind of game he was playing."

"Well, Operation Cobra business better wait before the Mayor sends out a search party," the voice said back. Belle decided she would probably like the Sheriff, she sounded like she said exactly what she meant.

"Okay, Mom, I'll take care of it. See you later?" he asked.

"Probably not, kid. I'm on a hot lead in this Sidney case."

"So you don't think Mr. Gold did it, then?" he asked, looking at Belle.

"I never did, to tell you the truth. But the sooner I can prove it, the sooner I can get his cranky, sarcastic ass out of my jail. I don't want to be responsible for him filling a wrongful imprisonment suit against the city. I'm pretty sure that Regina would use that to get me fired, even though it wasn't my idea to arrest him in the first place. But enough of this, kid. You've got to go, and so do I."

"Got it, over and out," Henry said. Then he took the big radio and tucked it back into his backpack. "I gotta' go," he told Belle.

"Oh, that's too bad," she said, even though she understood. "I enjoyed looking at your book."

For a moment Henry paused, clearly having some kind of internal debate. "I tell you what, Belle, why don't you keep it to read tonight, and I'll sneak back for it tomorrow."

"Are you sure? I mean it is a very old book, it might even be very valuable. I wouldn't want to damage it."

"I'm sure. My mom hates it anyway. I'm always looking for new hiding places for it. This is kind of perfect. No one would suspect it was in Mr. Gold's house, especially not my mom."

"Alright, thank you, Henry," she said standing up to walk him to the back door.

"It's no problem," he said as he peered out of the curtain to be sure that no one was on the street or watching the house. "Hey, Belle, you should read the version of 'Beauty and the Beast', I think the pictures look a lot like you." Then he slipped out the back door and was gone through some special backyard and back fence passage probably known only to the children of Storybrooke.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all and Thanks for comments, the kudos and all the support. Please keep it up, it keeps me writing. I know some of you have been waiting for this one. I really appreciate that you are all still with me.


	55. The Waiting is the Hardest Part

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which plans are seen through...well, sort of .

Dove sat in the dark kitchen with a pistol (properly licensed of course) in his lap, watching the back door. Miss Belle was upstairs with the book that Henry had loaned her, hopefully locked in as he asked her. It had been easy enough to get Leroy to drop him off at the house, it wasn't even that unusual. Gold was right, he was sure of that. Something was going to happen and soon. He'd seen the Mayor, she was angry about something and he could guess that it had to do with his boss. Mr. Gold was certain that she had something to do with his being locked up and that she would make a move soon. Oh, not herself, she was bound to use someone else, it was her way. He'd asked Miss Belle to stay in her room when it got dark. The bedroom drapes were closed and he didn't want anyone to be aware of his presence in the house.

Gold wanted her protected, and Dove was going to protect her. Besides, the house, empty as it was supposed to be was a trap he didn't think that anyone would be able to resist. Miss Belle deserved to be taken care of, it was what Gold wanted, and what he wanted as well. Now all he had to do was wait. He had always been a patient man.

In the upstairs bedroom, Belle sat beside the fire thinking about Richard and flipping through the book Henry had left her. It was nothing like the fairy tales she remembered, of that she was certain. She'd decided to save the Beauty and the Beast tale for last. Something about that story called to her and she wanted to save it. Dove had told her that Richard should be home tonight, but she was still worried. It was a certainty that she would never be able to sleep, not until he was home with her. So instead she settled down in the chair in his room before the fire to read this version of the story of Red Riding Hood, wondering why the main character looked so much like her new friend, Ruby, when the book was clearly older than she was.

In the cell at the sheriff's station, Rumplestiltskin waited. The wolf girl had brought him a dinner than had never been near the diner unless it was to put in innocuous take away containers. He knew that for certain. There was a container of chicken soup that brought back memories of the Dark Castle, followed by a piece of Belle's extraordinary cherry pie, which under normal circumstances would have him slavering like the beast he was. Ruby had told him that Emma was out on surveillance, and then carefully whispered that Belle was fine.

He knew it was meant to make him more comfortable but he was still worried about her, and he thought that Red might be as well, something about the look in her eyes. Gold had chosen better than he realised at the time, in finding a partner in crime. "Hopefully you will be out of here soon. She's..." Ruby whispered carefully.

"I know, I assure you I will be glad to be home as well. Perhaps...Miss Lucas, could you come back to the house sometime in the next few days. Belle needs more things. I thought I would let her shop on line, but she might be more comfortable with... I'll pay you for your time of course." It was difficult for him to ask for help from anyone but Ruby had more than proven her worth, and Belle needed friends.

"No need to, I'd do it for her anyway. Though if I find something that I like..." she said with a wolfish smile.

"You may feel free to add it to my order," he responded, grateful that he didn't have to find himself in debt to the girl.

"Good, now, you'd best eat before it gets cold. Wouldn't want to have to tell her you were refusing food."

He just nodded and sat down to enjoy his soup, or as much as he could without Belle there. Talking to Ruby had helped, but only a little. Belle was stuck in a world she couldn't understand and clinging to him for comfort. At least she had Dove, who would protect her, and Ruby. Still to took everything in him to sit in the cell, eat his admittedly delicious supper, and appear calm. Soon he would free. Emma Swan was out following her suspect, Keith Nottingham. He doubted that it would take much longer for him to make his move. Regina was too angry, and she was very bad at holding her anger in, and Keith was hardly the sharpest pick in the mines. She was going to make her move, and he was the instrument she chose, Rumplestiltskin could feel it all the way down in his blackened soul. Her control was breaking down and that could only work to his advantage.

 

Dove was almost starting to think that it was going to be a quiet night, not that it mattered. He was going to be there regardless, at least until it came time to pick up Gold. The boss had told him they could only hold him for twenty four hours without filing charges, and he was pretty sure the DA wasn't going to file them without some actual evidence. That meant that his employer would be released at 5:00am at the latest. Still, it was only just gone midnight.

Then he heard it, the sound of something outside, near the side of the house, if he was any judge. Of course it could be raccoons in the garbage, but Dove doubted it. That would be too much of a coincidence tonight. Still, he decided to wait. It wouldn't do for the trap to close too soon. There was a brief silence, then a muffled thump and equally muffled curse. It was probably the sound of the intruder kicking the log store as he, (Dove assumed it was a he, and expected he knew which one) moved onto the porch. Yep, there was the creaking board on the porch, right before the door. So he waited and prayed that Miss Belle didn't chose this moment to come down and make him a pot of tea. Despite telling her to stay upstairs and safe, it was the sort of thing she would do. She was good to him, considerate, that was Miss Belle.

Dove continued watching as the security light by the back door went out, probably unscrewed since he didn't hear breaking glass. It was only a matter of time now. He wondered if Sheriff Swan was out there in the dark, waiting for the same thing he was.

In the parked truck across the street, Emma Swan was tired of watching this asshat. She'd borrowed the truck from David Nolan. _The problem with a small town,_ she though, _there is only one yellow bug and not enough other cars to make it unremarkable._ She had finally gotten it dug out yesterday, but it was pretty obvious. The good news, Keith Nottingham was as dumb as a brick, and had stopped by the Rabbit Hole for a little liquid courage, something probably necessary for breaking into Gold's home. She had checked up on him while he was in there. No way Emma was going to go in herself. He had a record, drunk and disorderly and disturbing the peace mostly, but there was a note in the file, left by Graham, that he had a tendency to get grabby with women. Nothing ever serious, or nothing that got reported, but he was still to be watched.

 _Hopefully he makes his move soon,_ Emma thought. Of course he could just be taking advantage of Gold's absence to burglarize the place, but that seemed a little out of character. Besides, it wasn't like there was any place to fence it. No, seemed like too much initiative for him. Add that to the phone call he had gotten while she was watching him from the counter at Granny's. Only woman that man was going to call Ma'am was her bitchiness the Mayor. After than he had attempted to pinch Ashley, and only just missed getting thrown out of Granny's for what apparently wasn't the first time. He also seemed to catcall anything with a skirt that was far enough away not to slap him.

She wondered exactly what villain Henry would cast him as in his fairy tale scenario. Meanwhile, she was sick to death of following him. But Ruby had been right, she had passed him on the street, trying to get a bead on him and he reeked with a combination of B.O., booze and cheap body spray. Even without Ruby's sensitive nose, she could smell him from a distance and had little doubt that her friend was right.

At least, if all went well, she wouldn't have to put him in a cell next to Gold if she caught him. That would really make the man angry, and she wouldn't blame him. Actually she was starting to consider if she could throw a bucket of disinfectant over him. If she had to arrest him, David was never going to forgive her for the smell in his truck and he regularly carried actual animals in it. Just as she was starting to get distracted by those thoughts, she was the light by Gold's back door go out. It was time to move in.

 

Keith Nottingham had just gotten the first lock on the good of Gold's ugly ass pink house opened. What kind of man owned a pink house anyway? he asked himself. _Really, it wasn't normal. Probably a poof, especially the way he dressed, not that the man had an actual life. Who would want him?_ Leaving those thoughts behind he slipped the easier door lock. Now he just had to get the evidence planted, and get out of here. He was smarter than Glass, he knew it and it was about time he got his chance to prove it. Now that he was working for the mayor, he would have everything he needed, money to keep Gold off his back when the rent was due, not to mention enough to keep him comfortably in booze and birds. She would take care of him, and if she didn't, he could always sell her out to Gold.

Keith wasn't one to take sides, at least not more than the side that paid him. Not that Gold ever had. The man treated him like something nasty stuck to his shoe. Now was his chance to get back at him for that. He stood and slipped his picks back into the case and stowed them and the pen torch in the inside pocket of his leather jacket by the extremely dim light from inside. _Probably some kind of night light on a timer,_ he thought. _Handy, means not having to go around the house with a flashlight_.

The door opened on silent hinges, and Keith stepped into the warm kitchen and a large man with a pistol.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for where it ended. Okay, not really. Thank you for everyone who is still on this journey with me. Please read, review, and all that good stuff. Especially the reviews, they let me know how I'm doing. So enjoy, next update probably not until after next weekend as I am working on my RumBelle Secret Santa.


	56. Showdown

Dove had risen when he heard the *snick* of the door lock disengaging. Keith Nottingham was neither particularly large nor particularly strong, but he was a sneaky bastard, and Dove didn't want to bother with a fight. It would only disturb Miss Belle and make a mess. Thus the pistol, a moderate size .22. Besides, he didn't want the man getting away, especially if it meant getting his boss out of jail and back home sooner, for her sake. The boss hadn't shared what had happened with him, but it didn't matter. What mattered was that it was making her miserable.

"That's enough of that, Nottingham," he said, his voice sounding extraordinarily loud.

"Dove," Keith squeaked, startled. The first sight took in the man, the second, the gun.

"Put your hands up. I would hate to have to shoot you," he responded, blandly.

"No need for that. This is ah...." he said backing up a step. It was clear he was trying to decide if he was fast enough, standing with his hands up, one still clutching the bag he had with him.

"Don't shoot him, Mr. Dove," a voice came from behind Nottingham in the dark. "I don't want the paperwork and Gold would object to the mess." Emma Swan stepped up onto the porch, gun drawn.

A slightly stunned look passed over Keith's face and he turned quickly, swinging the bag in his hand towards Emma. The gun shot was surprisingly loud and Keith dropped the bad with a thump before reaching to make sure all his parts were intact. "You tried to shoot me," he accused.

"Mr. Dove..."Emma said.

"Apologies, Sheriff, but I understand there is more paperwork for you, if you have to fire your gun, and I thought a warning shot was in order," he said quietly, praying the shot didn't bring Belle running. The walls of the house were fairly thick though, and she was in the front of the second floor. Besides, that was why he brought the .22, quieter that way. He had told her the boss had a plan to solve this all, and she was a smart wooman.

"You shot at me," Keith shouted in shock and the big man came up behind him to grab his arms.

"No, I shot _past_ you, if I had wanted to shot you I would have," Dove said as he held him for the sheriff to cuff.

"If Gold had been here, I would probably be carrying your carcass out, so I'd be grateful," Emma said as she grabbed his other wrist and slipped the cuff around it. "Now, let's see what's in the bag. Mind if I borrow a chair?" she asked.

"I'm certain Mr. Gold won't mind." Dove helped the Sheriff shoved the cuffed man into one of the kitchen chairs and opened the bag on the table.

"Cell phone belonging to...one Sidney Glass, at least I assume that is who the 'Hello Sidney' message is for. He is the only Sidney in town. Wallet...also Sidney's. Hmmm, planting evidence. Yeah, this should be fun. Want to tell me where he is, Nottingham?"

"I don't know anything," the man cried. "I just..." He shut up. This was not going well, but if he gave up Regina, it was going to go even worse and he knew it. For the first time in the last several days, Keith was wishing he had turned down the job. He had been an idiot to get himself involved in a feud between the only two players in town, and now he was going to jail, and at the end, either going to end up in either one or both of their bad books. Actually, jail was looking pretty good, especially if Gold was going to be out on the street.

"Well, we will just see what you have to say down at the station. I'm sure that Gold will be thrilled to see you. Come on. Mr. Dove, you come with me too, I am going to need a statement about the break in from you."

"Of course, Sheriff," he said politely. "Let me get Mr. Gold's spare keys and I will be with you directly. Then the car will be there when you release him. I assume that based on this, you will be releasing him." he said.

"Yeah, not that there was any evidence before, but with this lot," she said, gesturing to the contents of the bag. "I'll have him out as soon as the paperwork is filled out."

"Good, it's not a far walk home for me, and it saves me having to come and bring the car for him later."

"Makes sense. Meet you there. Come on, you," she said, grabbing Nottingham and dragging him up from the chair. Dove could hear his protests as she dragged him down the driveway. He closed the door and hurried up the stairs.

Belle heard something happening downstairs. At least, she thought she heard something. Rising from the chair, she crept quietly to the door, trying to avoid the creak of the floorboards. She put an ear against the thick wood. Silence. Then she heard footsteps, clear and sure. They came to the top of the stairs and directly to the door. *Knock, knock* the sound was startlingly loud, and Belle pulled back away.

"Miss Belle, it's Dove," the voice came faintly through the door. She opened it in great relief.

"Dove, is everything..."

"Everything is fine, Miss. The trap worked, the Sheriff has the man, and I am going to drive down to the station and make a statement. He should be home as soon as the paperwork is done, don't worry."

"Thank you, Dove," she said with a smile.

Then she hugged the big man. It was a little awkward for him, he wasn't used to anyone touching him. But Belle hugging him seemed the most natural thing in the world, as if she did it to everyone. Blushing just a little, he gave her a smile and hurried out to get the car. It would be nice to have everything back to normal.

 

"What have we here?" Gold said from his cell as the sheriff shoved Keith Nottingham into the office before her. She sat him down in the chair next to the desk in the outer office, not willing to have him either in her office, nor in the interrogation broom cupboard. He smelled like a teenage boy's gym locker, and that was a smell she didn't want to be in close quarters with. In fact, he smelled worse having added both alcohol and fear to the mix. Besides, that close to Mr. Gold would probably serve to scare him even more, maybe enough to get him to talk and quickly.

"Look what we found trying to break into your house, Mr. Gold," she said cheerily.

"Oh, did you now?" Gold's voice dropped lower and they could both see the dark look that came over his face. It was at moments like this that Emma could see exactly why so many people in town were afraid of him. "I trust he didn't break my door? There has been entirely too much breaking and entering of my home recently. I'm going to have to do something about that."

"Nothing got broken, Dove was waiting inside, know anything about that?"

Gold shrugged. "After the trouble I've been having, I thought it best. Meanwhile, I sincerely hope that you aren't planning on putting him in here with me." He allowed his anger to show. Inside Rumplestiltskin was holding tight to his temper. Even knowing that Dove had been there and that Belle was in no danger did not lessen his need to do something extremely violent and personal to the man, and he knew it showed. He wanted it to. No one stole from him, no one cheated him, and no one got near the one thing he held dear without paying the price. He had not forgotten about the man's lewd suggestions back in the Enchanted Forest. It might take a little time, but Keith Nottingham was going to pay for this too. Oh, not as much as Regina, and actually he should be grateful for the man's ineptitude. After all, it would get him out of this cell that much faster.

"Nope, that is the good news, Gold. We caught him with a bunch of Sidney's things, probably planning on planting them in your house..."

"I found those, nothing to do with me. I didn't..." Keith started babbling but stopped when Gold met his eyes. The man wasn't smiling.

"Anyway, as I was saying, we caught him with the goods, so as soon as I process your paperwork, you are out of here. Dove is coming to make a statement, and bring you your car." She stood up and walked over to the cell, close enough that Nottingham couldn't hear clearly. "You know I never thought you did it," she said quietly.

"Thank you, Sheriff," he said with a slight smile.

"Yeah, if you had done it, you wouldn't have picked brainless over there to help you," she said smartly. After all, it wouldn't do for him to get the idea that he was growing on her. The one thing about Gold, at least she knew where she stood with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all of you who are still reading, and for being patient with me. Please enjoy, read, etc. I really enjoy the comments and it keeps me writing.


	57. Deals within Deals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which deals are struck and Gold returns home to Belle.

Keith Nottingham was trembling in his shoes, almost literally. If there was a step in 'gigantic fuck up' worse than failing to achieve the mission, he'd done it. Not only had he failed, he'd gotten caught at it, by not only the sheriff but by Dove, who everyone knew was Gold's enforcer, not that Gold really needed one. He'd heard what the man did to Moe French, by himself (he had seen Dove at Granny's when the sheriff brought him in). Moe had a good six inches in height and fifty pounds on the man easy, and Gold had a bad leg. But thinking about that was not getting him anywhere. He needed to find a way out of this, preferably with a whole skin. Keith knew for a fact that Regina wouldn't protect him, hell, not after what she'd had him do, and that to someone she trusted. She wouldn't protect him, she didn't tolerate failure. Gold sitting in his cell glaring darkly at him didn't help.

What he needed was protection, well that and a good lawyer. Unfortunately the only thing like a good lawyer (okay the only lawyer besides the prosecutor) was currently sitting in a cell behind him and he'd just been caught breaking into the man's house.

"Okay Gold," the Sheriff said, coming out of the office. "As soon as I get the statements taken and start processing him, I should have you out of here. I just left a message for Spenser to check his email, so there shouldn't be a problem."

"Thank you, Sheriff," he said. They looked up as the door opened and Dove walked in.

"Sorry, difficulty parking," the man said. Considering it was only a couple days after the blizzard that had buried the town, no one said anything. Emma Swan waved the big man into her office, closing the door behind them. After all, Nottingham was secured to the chair.

Keith Nottingham was trying to think. It wasn't something that came naturally, but where he sat, he was a dead man. If Regina didn't kill him for failing, then Gold was going to for breaking into his house and trying to frame him. It seemed he only had one choice, and it wasn't a good one. "Mr...Mr. Gold?" he called quietly, turning uncomfortably towards the baleful stare.

"Yes?" he said coldly. Behind the hard masque, the imp was dancing with glee. Of course the little weasel would turn on her. Regina was really scraping the bottom of the barrel with him, but then she was a little short of choices. Even the rather shady people who usually did things for her would balk at breaking into his house. Soon, he would hold all the cards.

"Mr. Gold, I need help."

"And you expect to get it from me?" the man said, one eyebrow raised incredulously. "After you were arrested breaking into my house?"

"Please, you are the only one who can." Nottingham looked around the office quickly, and leaned as close as he could to the cell being cuffed to the chair as he was. "She will kill me," he whispered.

"And you think I won't?" Gold asked with a smirk. "But just this once, you might be in luck. It just so happens that you have a piece of information that I want. Let us make a deal."

Nottingham's eyes narrowed. He knew, like everyone else in town that making a deal with Gold was a bad idea. On the other hand, he was without choices. "What do you want?"

"You tell me where Sidney Glass is, and I will press charges against you for breaking into my house. Of course, you will be going to jail for kidnapping Sidney, or at least in theory you will be, unless he is found and doesn't name you. But still, perhaps jail is the safest place for you. After all, our illustrious Mayor takes failure only slightly better than I do. Yes, I know exactly who is behind this. She may be the mayor, but I own this town." He paused and looked at the man. Rumplestiltskin knew he had to give him a little extra time to make up for the shortage of brain power. "Tick Tock, dearie. The time on this offer is about to expire, and shortly after that, so will you. Tell me what I want to know and I will help you. Regina won't be so lenient."

"Okay, that will be about all, Mr. Dove," Emma said.

"Just Dove, Sheriff," he said, standing. Emma realised that this was probably the most she had ever heard the man talk, and he wasn't what she was expecting. The big man was soft spoken, quiet and polite. Pretty much everything she hadn't expected from the man who's reputation was as Gold's hired muscle. Not wanting to put any more thought into it, certainly not tonight, she shook hands with him and sent him on he way, or at least out of her office. She sighed, thinking about the fact that she still had to process Stinky out there. So much for sleep.

Her cell phone started to ring and she picked it up. "Swan," she said shortly. Emma didn't recongnise the number, but people rarely called her this late without reason. It didn't mean she needed to sound friendly.

"You're sure about this?" the voice of DA Spencer growled at her across the phone line with no preamble. Clearly she wasn't the only one who hadn't gotten their beauty sleep.

"I caught him picking the lock on Gold's back door. He had a bag with him containing Sidney's wallet and cell phone, among other things. Have a witness to the attempted break in as well."

"Release Gold...Immediately. Preferably before he decides to sue. I'll come by tomorrow to talk to Nottingham."

"I just finished taking the witness statement and I am getting ready to do that right now. I just wanted to make sure you knew what was going on."

"Thank you," he said, sounding only slightly mollified. "And Sheriff? Make sure you convey our apologies to Mr. Gold."

 

Dove moved toward the cell, giving a cold glare to the already cowed Nottingham. He didn't need to say anything to his boss. One look said what needed to be said about the events at the house.

"When you are finished here, I have one final errand for you," Gold said. Dove nodded impassively. He had a pretty good idea what it was. "I want you to get Sidney Glass and take him out to the cabin. He should be safe there. I'll want you to keep an eye out as well. Regina is going to need to regroup, but it should take her at least a day or so."

"How do I find him?" Dove asked.

"Nottingham is going to tell you," he said pitching his voice just enough for the other man to hear. "Aren't you, Mr. Nottingham?"

"I...she..." Nottingham sputtered suddenly uncertain whether he was getting from the frying pan into the fire.

"No one breaks a deal with me, Nottingham," Gold said in his coldest voice. "Do so now, and I will not only see that the charges against you are dropped, but I will make certain you go free. I am that good." He paused then continued in a much more pleasant voice. "How long do you think you will survive outside a cell, especially when everyone knows I represented you?"

Nottingham had turned a particular shade of unhealthy white, but he nodded. Safe behind bars was pretty much his only hope of getting out with at least a partial skin. At least he wouldn't have to worry about his rent. He had no illusions. Gold was helping him only to get back at Regina and that was a fight he most definitely wanted no part of. Perhaps when he got out of jail, he should consider relocating, he thought.

Emma Swan came out of her office with a ring of keys in one hand and the gold headed cane in the other. She had not liked taking it from him, but it was protocol. Besides, the cell was hardly large enough for him to really use it. Not that she hadn't broken protocol already, leaving a suspect cuffed to a chair, but Emma honestly didn't think putting Nottingham within arms reach of the man whose house he had broken into was a good idea. "Okay Gold," she said. "Please promise me there will be no trouble if I let you out. I'd hate to release you only to have to lock you up again."

"I will endeavor to be on my best behavior, Sheriff. I am as anxious to be away from this..." He sniffed and a look of disgust passed undisguised over his face. "Place," he said finally.

"Yeah, don't blame you," she said as she opened the cell door and handed him his cane. Nottingham seemed to shrink in his chair but Gold completely ignored him. "Go on through to my office," the Sheriff told him. "I'm just going to put him in the cell, then we can sign the paperwork and get you out of here. "

 

The moment Rumplestiltskin was inside and the door secured behind him, he found himself with an armful of Belle. She had entered and come to him as if she had been shot from a bow, almost knocking them both over in her haste. No one had ever been so glad to see him, no one since Bae. But his thoughts towards the woman in his arms were hardly fatherly.

"Belle, Belle, it's fine sweetheart. I'm here, I'm safe and so are you," he whispered against her hair as she held him so tight that breathing was slightly difficult, not that he cared.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she said after a few moments, pulling back form him, but only a little bit, just enough to look up at him. "You are probably tired and hungry and..."

"The Sheriff didn't starve me, love," he said with a smile. "And someone was kind enough to see to my dinner. But I will admit, I'd kill for a cuppa. The less said about the diner's tea the better."

"Why don't you go upstairs and have a bath and I'll make us some tea and bring it up?" she said. It was well after three in the morning, but she didn't care. She just needed to spend some time with him. They were both exhausted. Belle had tried to sleep after Dove had left, really she had, but she had failed. Instead she had been reading the book Henry had brought it. They weren't the fairy tales she thought she remembered, but at the same time there was something...familiar about them. But she didn't want to think about that right now, she only wanted to think about Richard.

"Yes, I can't imagine I'm pleasant to be around," he said, aware more than ever of the clothes that he had slept (or failed to sleep) in.

"No, you are fine, but it couldn't have been easy on your leg."

"I'm no invalid," he growled just a little.

"Of course you aren't," Belle said dismissively. "But...Can't you let me take care of you for once? Just a little? I've felt so helpless," she confessed looking up at him with eyes bright with unshed tears. She bit her lip in that way that made him want to give her anything, even the entire world if only she would ask.

"Perhaps. Just this once," he teased gently. Gods, he wanted to kiss her so very badly in that moment, the thought warring with several others, but before he could remind himself of why, Belle had taken the decision out of his hands.

She reached up and pulled his unresisting head down to hers as she pressed a sweet kiss to his lips. Rumplestiltskin felt as though an electric shock had gone through him, like lightening, like magic and all he could was give in. It was overwhelming. Belle had never been less than a tactile person, and despite his resolution to keep their relationship on (mostly) respectable grounds, it was getting harder. After the incident in the bedroom, he'd tried to keep some small distance, but it was a losing battle. Belle wasn't interested and he fought to keep his resolve from crumbling to dust.

The kiss seemed to deepen with no conscious decision. It was only when he caught the soft sigh of pleasure as his unshaven cheek brushed hers, was he able to pull himself away.   _What are you doing, fool?_ the imp whispered at the back of his mind.

 _Not like this, not now when we are both exhausted. She is emotionally fragile and I am filthy and unshaven, and most certainly not in the kitchen,_  he shot back. Aloud he said, "I should go and take that bath." Then he pressed his lips to her temple to reassure her. "Otherwise, you'll not want me in the bed tonight. That is, if you still..."

"One night without you was more than enough," she whispered. "You go and relax. I'll be there with your tea when you are done."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, another chapter. Not the tooth rotting fluff, exactly, that's the next one. Sorry it took so long, but I took a little detour to finishing the Christmas story I started last year and never got around to (Holiday Cheer for those who are interested, part of my Holiday's !verse), and of course the RSS. Thank you all for the reading, the kudos and the comments, especially the comments. They really mean a lot ot me. Please continue.


	58. Tale as Old as Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bonding between Belle and Gold. This chapter is rated D for diabetes and dentist. A bit of Tooth Rotting Fluff.

When he arrived in the bedroom, Rumplestiltskin found his pajamas folded neatly on the end of the bed, his dressing down next to them and his slippers together on the floor below. Clearly Belle had prepared for his homecoming. On the table next to the chair before the fire, was Henry's book. Clearly the boy had decided to trust her. That pleased him to no end. There was magic in that book, though he didn't know whose or where it had come from.

Instead of thinking about it, he got his things and made his way to the bathrooom. For a moment he thought of a shower and a cold one at that. Belle's greeting had been...enthusiastic and his body knew it, even as tired as he was. They were rushing forward and he couldn't seem to slow them down. But Belle had been right, between them being woken in the middle of the night and the uncomfortable cell, his leg was none to happy. He bent set the tub to fill while he shaved. How she could have kissed him in his current state, Rumplestiltskin didn't know, but it wasn't a sacrifice he would make her repeat.

When he'd been washed and brushed, he returned to the bedroom feeling much more human or at least as close as he got. He opened the door to a sight that caused his blackened heart to beat just a little faster. Belle was there, the tea tray set on the table while she set the pillows up against the head board and arranged one to elevate his leg.

"Did you have a good bath?" she asked as she turned to smile at him. "Not sure you were in long enough," she scolded just a little.

"Long enough, sweetheart. Falling asleep in the bath would do no one any good." Belle seemed to accept his answer with good grace.

"You are staying home tomorrow, or rather today at this point, I suppose."

"Well, I had thought..." he started but the look on her face decided him against teasing. "No, I'm going to stay here. I might try to get some work done in the afternoon, but I'll go no further than my office downstairs."

"Good, now why don't you get settled and I will pour us some tea?"

Rumplestilstkin found himself tucked up in bed with a cup of milky tea (extra sugar 'for the stress' she said) and two rather large scones. Belle fussed around him a bit like a hen with only one chick, adjusting the pillow propping up his ankle, straightening the covers until he took her hands in his and brought them reverently to his lips for a kiss. It was much safer than anything else, and right now, he just needed to touch her. "Belle, I'm home, all is well. Why don't you fix yourself a cup and join me?" She smiled at him and quickly took his advice, then set the cup on the nightstand as she shed her own robe and slid into the bed, quickly arranging herself at his side.

"So tell me bout your day," he asked. "Surely you didn't spend every moment cleaning and baking, or I hope you didn't."

"How did you know..." she asked. His raised eyebrow was her only answer. He did know her, and well, but she would never admit that she might have gone just a touch overboard. "Ruby came by, but you know that," she said. "And Henry. Why did you ask him to come? Surely a boy is more likely to tell someone, and he said his one mother is the sheriff and the other, the mayor." The words held no censure, only curiosity.

"Henry is a trustworthy lad, he'd tell no one. As to his mothers, yes, that is a bit complicated. He was adopted by Regina as an infant. In fact, I handled the paperwork for her."

"You thought her having a child was a good idea?" she asked, a bit surprised. Certainly she wasn't the woman's biggest fan.

"Having children can be beneficial for some people, yes. I thought it might improve her disposition. But more than that, I had no choice at the time, she needed an attorney and I...well, let us just say that I had my reasons."

Belle just nodded, accepting his words. She trusted him, at least for now, and he worried that it was going to make it that much more difficult when she remembered. Instead of concentrating on that, he continued his story. "A few month ago, Henry decided, without telling Madame Mayor, I might add, to find his birth mother and convince her to come back with him. He disappeared for an entire day, Regina had the entire town on it's ear over that. At any rate, the boy took a bus down to Boston and the rest is as you say. Since then it's been a bit of a tug of war, with him caught in the middle. He's a bit of a bookish boy, always has been, and not a lot of friends. I thought you would enjoy the company and you are a bit alike. Was I wrong?" he asked with a smile.

"No, I was going mental with worry," she admitted. "Dove and Ruby both spent some time with me, but I hate keeping Dove from his work, and Ruby had to get back to the diner. And his book is very interesting."

"Oh? I saw that he left it with you. That is a rather large compliment, you know. He's practically surgically attached to it. But what do you think of it?" he asked as he draped an arm around her shoulder, unable to resist having her close. It might bite him later, but at least he would have this moment.

"It's interesting... there is something about the stories, they are compelling. They are not the fairy tales I remember but...I can't quite put my finger on, but they feel familiar?" She shook her head and leaned back against him. "But I am still reading it. Henry suggested I read 'Beauty and the Beast'."

"And have you?" he asked, trying to be casual about it.

"Not yet," she said. "It's one of my favourites and I thought I would save it."

"Oh? I knew you had a penchant for Beasts. Why don't you get it and read it to me?" he suggested. "I, too, enjoy a good Beauty and the Beast story."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the lovely comments. They really do keep me going, especially when life is being annoying. So thank you all for staying with me on the long and strange journey. Please leave coomments, etc in the little box.


	59. In the Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we check in on those who are failing to sleep.

It was very late and Regina Mills was sitting in her office, long after she would normally have retired to bed. Not that the thought of her bed held the appeal that it once had, not since Graham, ah, well, sacrifices had to be made. She regretted it, but what could she do? If people started to remember things it could all come crashing down.

She took another sip of her drink. Henry was long asleep, and she knew she should have been as well but she couldn't quite shut down. Nottingham hadn't called her, but he wasn't supposed to. Still Regina was having trouble resisting the urge to go down to the Sheriff's office and find out if it had gone to plan. All the man had to do was plant the evidence and call Emma Swan. Then she would have Rumplestiltskin well and truly where she wanted him, where she needed him.

It was hard right now. She wished that Sidney had stayed reliable. She'd hated having to lose him but he couldn't leave town, and she couldn't tell him why, not without potentially damaging the curse. Besides, he was unreliable now that his fear of Gold was greater than his fear of her. _Perhaps_ , Regina thought, _I should not have let my bad temper get the best of me_. Certainly she realised now that she had made a mistake being less than sympathetic to his fears.

Now she had lost him. It was not necessarily easy to find good help, especially in Storybrooke, where so very many people owed Gold. Still, as soon as she had the agreement from him, things could go back to normal. Sidney would miraculously turn up unharmed and Regina was certain that eventually she would be able to coax him back into her good graces. She always had been able to. Then things could go back to normal.

Jefferson looked out the window of his house, peering through the telescope at the entrance of the Sheriff's station. It was a little enough thing that Rumplestiltskin had asked of him. After all, he owed the Mayor a bad turn or three and she wasn't going to like it when the bill came due, not at all. He leaned back, his mind clearer than it had been in some time and dreamed of an end to the nightmare and a day when he could have his life and his daughter back.

Harry Dove practically fell unconscious into the bed. It had been a long twenty four hours but for now, everything was settled. Mr. Gold was home with Miss Belle, Nottingham was in jail, and Sidney Glass had been rescued (not something the man had ever expected to be ordered by Gold to do). The reporter had been tied up in the back of a property that had been empty as long as he could remember, one that Gold did not own, which described very little of this town.

Finding him had been easy. In fact, freeing him had been easy. Clearly the mayor had a hard time getting good help. Leaving the man unguarded wasn't necessarily the smartest move. Oh, he was tied up, and had been drugged with something, but once Dove got him untied and moving, he had come around, at least a little. The place where he was being held also had no electrics, little or no heat and no lights. Dove had half helped, half dragged the still groggy former reporter out to the pick up truck and dumped him in the front seat before going back into the building. He'd been wearing gloves, Gold wanted to make certain that if this place was found there was nothing to find. If, for some reason, his employer didn't want the mayor in jail, it was no matter to him. That wasn't what he was paid for.

Instead he had gathered everything, bedding, trash, empty take away containers and bottles, and bundled it all into a trash bag for later disposal. Then Dove had gone back in and wiped every surface clean. If the place was found, it would be suspicious as hell, of course, but there would be no proof, and that was exactly what the boss wanted, to leave a lot of questions and no answers. Finally satisfied with the job he had done, he relocked the door and returned to his truck. Sidney Glass was starting to focus his eyes a little more. The coffee he'd left him with was half gone, and his eyes were clearer than they had been.

"Where are you taking me?" he asked.

"Mr. Gold has asked me to follow the original plan. I will be taking you to the cabin. It is fully stocked."

" I...thank you," the slim man said. "Why is Gold doing all this for me anyway?" Not that he expected any answers, not from Dove.

"I don't think Mr. Gold is doing anything for you," Dove answered, surprising them both. "I think he is doing it _to_ Mayor Mills." With that little piece of insight the two men settled into comfortable silence for the rest of the drive.

The rest had taken very little. He'd helped the still a little unsteady reporter into the cabin, made sure he knew where everything was, and after instructions not to open the shutters or let anyone in, he'd left him. Gold had given him most of the day off, except for checking on Glass. He had every intention of sleeping in.

 

Gold remained awake after Belle had dozed off just enjoying the feel of her curled up with him. He was tired, and more than, but now that he was home, warm and in a comfortable bed with Belle, he didn't really mind. He'd promised her he would stay home for the day, and considering how fast gossip moved in this town, he was certain that no one would be expecting him to be open. If he was, considering his incarceration, few people would be willing or desperate enough to want to deal with him when he had every right to be in a less generous mood than usual.

Rather than deal with those thoughts, he focused on Belle, asleep with her head pillowed on his shoulder and one leg thrown over his hip. It had been achingly familiar, to listen to her read to him, though he had never had her in his arms at the time. It made it more intimate, which he wasn't certain was something that they needed, but he could not refuse her. Listening to their story had been an experience as well, both uncomfortable and familiar at once. The magic book knew their story and told it correctly, both the good and the bad. It also left him wondering exactly what kind of fool he'd been to not see that she returned his feelings. Of course that was the advantage of seeing things from the outside. Bits of it seemed to disturb Belle as well, as if she was seeing something in it that was just out of reach, which he was pretty certain was exactly what was happening.

Soon, he thought to himself. Soon the nightmare would be over and then, if she wanted, they could start over again. Something she had said had given him hope. "That was wrong," Belle had said as she read about their one kiss.

"Yes, sweetheart, he should have trusted her, but monsters..."

"Not that. And he's not a monster, anymore than you are. No, what I mean is why would she try to break his curse without his consent? If she loved him, why would she want to change him?"

He'd looked at her in surprise. "Perhaps...to save him?" he asked, not quite sure what to say.

"It would still have been better to ask first," she said. "But perhaps she didn't think about it." Belle shrugged and started reading again.

Honestly, he'd never thought about it, having at first believed it a trick. Afterward, if he'd thought about it, he'd assumed that she thought she was being the hero and saving him. If he had been able to be honest with her, but then as they said in this world, hindsight was always 20/20. Regardless, the story ended with the tale of Regina's trick and her imprisonment. When she closed the book, she was thoughtful, clearly being able to draw the parallels. They hadn't talked about it. Belle had been tired, actually they had both been tired, and she had drifted off into a contemplative sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading, as usual, I appreaciate all the comments, kudos, and other happy things. Please continue to leave them, they inspire me.


	60. Mad World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which another old friend is heard from.

Gold awoke at his usual hour as Belle extracted herself from his arms. He was reluctant to let her go, or to wake up for that matter, but she muttered something about the bathroom and he reluctantly let her go before rolling over to go back to sleep. The second time he awoke, it was to find Belle back beside him, along with a tea tray. "Belle what..." he asked. He was much more coherent this time, though not as clear headed as he usually was.

"I wanted you to sleep in, but I didn't think there was much chance of that, so I decided to bring our tea up here," she said as she set the tray down on the bed carefully. "This way I know you will at least get some rest, if I have to keep you here myself."

 

Regina Mills awoke and dressed very carefully. It was time to go down to the jail and see how things had gone last night. Rumplestiltskin should be more than ready to deal with her now, or she could just leave him there a little longer. After all, she held all the cards. Her good mood lasted through getting Henry's breakfast ready (he still wasn't really happy with her, but he would get over it, she always had with her mother), and getting ready for the day.

With a smile on her scarlet painted lips, Regina took a last look in the mirror before she went out to see how her plan was coming along. The sheriff's station was quiet when she walked in, or mostly quiet. A god awful snore was rising from the cell in the corner, and when the Queen looked, she saw Keith Nottingham, sleeping peacefully on the cot that had, only the day before held her quarry. Rage and fear warred briefly inside her as tried to maintain the mask of indifference that seemed to have hardened on her face like cement in the last few moments.

Emma Swan saw her and opened the office door and waved her in. "Had to close the door," she said. "That guy snores like a chainsaw. What do you want this morning?" She knew this wasn't going to be pleasant, but Emma figured she'd best get it over as quickly as possible.

"Where is Mr. Gold?" Regina asked, trying to keep her voice even.

Emma made a show of checking her watch. She couldn't help it, just a little dig. "Well, if he's not at his shop, my guess would be at home. It's most certainly not my job to watch him. I told you I didn't have enough to hold him on. After last night's events, DA Spenser told me to let him go, preferably as fast as possible. I think he was concerned with a possible law suit for unlawful imprisionment."

"What..." she said, her voice going up sharply. The Mayor was trying to pretend like she hadn't been completely thrown off. Damn, Regina thought to herself. She should have known not to trust Nottingham. "What happened last night?" she said, getting her voice back under control.

"That guy. I caught him breaking into Gold's house. The guy that works for him, what's his name, Dove? He was inside at the time, so probably best that I got there when I did. There is nothing in the files, but I know some people think he does more than just fix things up for Gold. Anyway, I got there, caught him with a bag of Sidney's things. Nottingham's not talking, so I arrested him, end of story."

"But you haven't found Sidney yet?" the Mayor asked. There was something going on, Emma could sense it but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Regardless, she was starting to wonder if this wasn't all a plan that Regina had cooked up, possibly with Sidney's help to get Gold in trouble. Certainly, in talking with other people around town she had begun to distrust Sidney's 'change of heart'. But right now, she had other things to worry about.

"No, I haven't, but then I haven't had a chance to look since last night. Once I get Spenser in here, we will see what we can get out of him. Anything else you need, because I have a very busy day."

 

Gold was enjoying his morning. Belle had absolutely refused to allow him to get up until he'd finished his tea, and they were comfortably tucked in to the big bed when his mobile began to ring. Belle glared at the instrument, and Gold sighed. There were very few people who even had the number, and of the ones that did, fewer still who would use it. Unfortunately two of them were necessary to his plan. He picked it up. "Gold."

"The Princess of Hearts could use some tarts, to sweeten her disposition. She blew through the Sheriff's office like March in reverse, though not the March Hare. She was in like a lamb, out like a lion." There was a sing song madness to his voice but despite his rhymes and his double meanings, Gold knew that he was trustworthy. "I'd watch my back if I were you. Or she might take after Mummy dearest, and off with your head."

"I can take care of myself, thank you. But you know what it is I need from you," Rumplestiltskin said, allowing a little of his old trill to come through. It made the Hatter more comfortable.

"I do. Watching and waiting, waiting and watching, another day, just like the rest," the other man said rather wistfully.

"Soon, Jefferson, soon. It is close to failing, you can feel it too. Grace will be returned to you," he promised.

"Will she? Will she want to come back to her broken Papa?" There was fear and pain in those words and he felt for the man, but then they had always understood one another.

"I have said it. Do you doubt my word? I will keep it," Gold promised.

"Does she know, do you think? Or does she think I abandoned her?" They had repeated this conversation many times over the years and each time, his concern for his daughter had shivered the old sorcerer's heart.

"She knows Jefferson, she's always known. I made certain of it," he said as he hung up the phone. Gold always reminded him of that, but it was difficult. Jefferson, his memory full of holes, always managed to forget.

He'd found Grace at Regina's on a visit and had been furious with her for leaving the man in Wonderland, a fate he hardly deserved. But he had known Grace, a good girl and her Father's world, much as Bae had been his. He'd taken her away from Regina who really shouldn't have been put in charge of anything more impressionable than a rat. "You've no use for her," the imp said and with little or no fanfare had taken her to stay with him while he tracked down her Aunt, moving them both into the village below the Castle and his protection. But he would worry about that later.

"Who was that?" Belle asked, leaning against him, curiosity in her tone.

"No one to worry about dear. Just a friend who is keeping an eye on some things for me. What do you say we have some breakfast?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all who are still reading this. Another chapter down, and a step closer to the end. Please keep up the reading, reviewing (I do so love comments and they make the muse happy) and the other lovely things.


	61. Times they are a changing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which more plans are made, and more things change in Storybrooke.

Regina returned to her office in a tear, tempted to break something heavy and satisfyingly shatter-able, at least until she remembered it was the cleaner's day off. It was all falling apart and it was Rumplestiltskin's fault. Admittedly she probably shouldn't have tried to force his hand. He had never done anything in less than his own time, and getting impatient was never effective. She knew that. Now she'd not get anything from him. In fact, she had made an enemy of him, just when she needed him the most. Now she had a mess to clean up and his good graces to try to get back into. Unfortunately he didn't have any. Now would have been the perfect time for his little maid, but those fools at the hospital had managed to lose her to the forest, and in the middle of winter (not that it wasn't always winter here but still).

Perhaps... she tried to remember. There was something at the edge of her mind, something about a dagger, one that could control the Dark One. Gold was bound to have put that away, the way she had put things by, just in case. Oh, it would be useless while the curse was in effect but if she had the dagger and thus the ability to control him, he would be just as eager as she was to see it continue. All she needed was the right tool to motivate him. How to find it was another matter.

Planning was easy, getting ahold of the dagger, that would be more difficult. Also she would need more help. Of course the problem was good help was hard to find. Nottingham hadn't been the sharpest axe in the forest, but he'd been easy enough to buy and wasn't particularly afraid of Gold, well not before last night. Where she was going to find another tool that brave and that stupid was something she needed to consider.

Then there was Nottingham himself. She needed to worry about him. The best thing to do, of course, would be to either kill him or wipe his memory. She was fairly certain that he was afraid enough of her that he would keep his mouth shut, but that was hardly a guarantee. He would be anxious to avoid trouble with Gold as well. Few people wanted to be in the middle of a disagreement between them.

Meanwhile, as much as it pained her to do her own dirty work, Regina supposed she should check on Sidney. Having her magic mirror die on her had never been part of the plan. In fact, perhaps he would be feeling lucid enough to tell her exactly what he had been thinking. Maybe, if she forgave him, he would return to her side where he belonged. After suitable groveling, she was certain she would forgive him.

 

The second phone call of the day came after Gold and Belle had finished indulging (or rather she insisted and he indulged her) in a leisurely brunch on the settee before the fire in the parlour. Belle had been in a bit of a contemplative mood but she'd also been rather insistent about his need to rest, inclined to fuss over him. As he was certain that she'd got just as little rest as he had, Gold decided that by resting and insisting on keeping her close, they would both get what they needed. The ringing of the telephone was far from welcome, but as he reached for it, Belle uncurled from the other side of the settee to take the dishes into the kitchen.

"Mr. Gold," the Savior's voice greeted him when he picked up the offending instrument.

"Sheriff." He didn't see the need to be friendlier than he had to be, someone might suspect something.

"Spenser's here. He wants to know if you plan to press charges against Nottingham. We don't exactly have enough to charge him with Sidney's...Well, we still don't even have enough to actually know what happened to him, if anything. He's not talking at all, and we can't offer him counsel without getting it from somewhere else, Portland maybe. Not when the other legal counsel in town is the guy who's house he broke into."

"Agreed. I'd have to turn it down even if asked, conflict of interest. I will be pressing charges. Do I need to sign those papers today? I really hadn't planned on..."

"You don't need to come down to the station if you don't want to. Ruby said she would bring them by, if that's all right?"

"Miss Lucas?" he asked, clearly confused. "I have no objection." It seemed that were some other changes this morning he knew nothing about.

"Yeah, she's going to be working for me for...Well, we'll see how she works out. Answering the phones, keeping an eye on the prisoner so I can go out, that kind of thing."

"Ah, another blow up with the formidable Mrs. Lucas," he said, almost laughing. Well, it had been almost six months, admittedly it was the first time she'd gotten another job. It was another change to the pattern and he welcomed it. Aloud he said, "Miss Lucas can bring the paperwork by this afternoon. I will read them over, sign them, and return them in the morning before I open the shop, if that is acceptable to you?"

"Yeah, it's fine. The judge is not in today anyway. Of course a lawyer would want to read them over. It'll be fine. Gives me reason to hold him a little longer while I sort this out."

"Yes, probably best that way," he said.

"Gold, out of trouble, remember?"

"Oh, Sheriff, you will find that I remember everything."

 

Sidney Glass woke up in an unfamiliar place to a pounding head and the smell of bacon. He looked around the room. It was furnished in rustic antiques, the bed covered with an old wool blanket and a quilt. There was a stone fireplace on one wall and it was certainly not the place he had woke up yesterday or was it the day before? His memory was fuzzy. Rather than worry about that at the moment, he dragged himself upright in the bed. The room had two windows, and two doors, one on the wall with the fireplace, and the other on what must be the other interior wall.

The former journalist stood up slowly and took a guess as to the doors. The one next to the fireplace led to a bathroom, which he realised he needed rather more than he thought. Finishing with that, he threw some water on his face to clear his head a little more, and went in search of bacon. He was going to have to do something about clothes and a shower sooner rather than later, he knew that, but for now it would help if he knew exactly where he was, and what had happened.

In the kitchen he found Dove, the big man who worked for Gold, frying bacon and eggs at the stove. Sidney knew very little of the man, rather like everyone else in town. Rumour was that he was Gold's enforcer (he should know, he had helped spread them) but no matter how deep he dug. there was nothing there, anymore than there was with Gold. Born and raised in Storybrooke, his parents died when the young man was in high school. He was a few years younger than Sidney, which explained why he didn't remember him from school. The man had no criminal record, had never been arrested, though working for Gold, that shouldn't surprise him. He'd started working odd jobs for him at some point and had been working for him ever since. The reporter must have made some kind of noise. because the big man turned around.

"Awake I see. Gold wanted me to come make sure you were all right. Didn't get breakfast this morning, figured you could use some as well."

 

In a room above the diner, August Booth watched the comings and goings. He'd been woken by the row between Ruby and her Grandmother and had been watching events unfold in the town since he had come back from breakfast downstairs. After all, Granny's was the best place to pick up the gossip. It's where he found out that Gold was now out of jail (no big surprise), and that Keith Nottingham had been caught breaking into the man's house. Leroy was taking a pool as to how long the man would last if and when he got out of jail.

He'd seen Regina come and go, and King George (otherwise known as the county prosecutor) arrive at the jail, and leave some time later. Things in Storybrooke were starting to move, though not as fast as he would like. It was time to go and talk to Gold, as much as he wanted to avoid it. After all, Gold had his Belle back, and August could tell he was back in play. The level of tension between he and Regina was rising, and things were starting to change. Maybe if August could enlist him, there would be hope, both to break the curse and to save himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little more of the story, and thanks to all who are still reading. The usual thanks to my beta, BardicRaven and to everyone who leaves comments. We are expecting a couple of days of snow here, so there may be an update faster than usual since there is not a lot else to do in the snow. Please, as always, comments are appreciated, they keep the muse and I happy. Enjoy.


	62. Shopping and Answers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ruby introduces Belle to online shopping and learns a few things that make her wonder

It was afternoon before they really stirred themselves. Belle had been reading the fairy tale book, occasionally commenting on what she thought. It had been hard to resist adding his own commentary, but he'd been content himself, reading through some contracts and wondering if maybe he wouldn't decide to stay home part of tomorrow as well? He knew it was a break of his pattern, but he was fairly certain that Regina had other things on her mind. Belle went to make them some tea while he was contemplating it. Spending more time close to Belle now that the curse was so very close to breaking just seemed like a good idea.

The ringing of his front door bell brought him up short. Belle was still in the kitchen, and surely she would hear it and stay put. They had, after all, been so very careful up to now. He picked up his cane and made his way to the door. That it was Ruby Lucas shouldn't have come as much of a surprise to him.

"Miss Lucas, please come in. I believe you have some papers for me," he said, stepping aside politely "You realise," he said as he secured the door again. "You are going to be an instant sensation if anyone in the town saw you come in. They will wonder what you saw in the monster's lair," he said.

"Stop that, Richard," Belle said as she came into the lounge from the kitchen, tea tray in her hands.

"Belle, you should..."

"I listened at the door to make sure," she said, ignoring the rebuke she could see coming. "Ruby, would you like a cup of tea, maybe a scone?"

Belle seemed much happier today, the other woman thought, settled. Of course, while she didn't know the entire situation, Ruby got the feeling that there was something more going on than just gratitude. "I just brought those papers that Emma wanted you to sign, but I'm on a break so...sure."

"Yes, I heard congratulations were in order. I believe you have a new job," Gold said, as he settled himself back on the settee. "Shall the apartment be the next step?"

"I do. It's really kind of interesting, but I'm not exactly sure I'm ready to move out. I love my granny, I really do, just...need some space. But working for the Sheriff is really interesting. Though Keith Nottingham in the cell kind of sucks. Man stinks!" Ruby had set down on the side chair rather carefully. If she had ever imagined having tea with Gold and a woman while being asked about her life, she would have thought she was having a fucked up dream.

"So you can either work with her or live with her?" Belle asked, handing a tea cup to Gold and fixing one for Ruby.

"Pretty much. But not both."

"Since you are here, Miss Lucas, if you have a little time, I can read over those papers and get them signed for you, if you could possibly offer Belle some assistance."

"What do..." Belle asked and Ruby gave them both a blank look.

"With the joys of online shopping."

 

A few minutes later, Gold had set the two of them up in his office with the ultra slim, extremely modern laptop while he returned to the lounge saying something about reading through the papers while they were doing that. The minute Gold was out of the room, Ruby couldn't help herself but start asking. She couldn't help but notice the change in the way the two of them were around one another. It didn't take a mind reader to see that it was more than just getting her out of whatever she'd got in. "So, you and Gold, what's the story?" Ruby asked casually as she could before leaning over her to scroll down the page of the ladies clothing site. "That one, right there," she pointed to the screen. "You so need that skirt, and look at the colour."

"I think I used to have a dress that colour," Belle said. "Or maybe it was a skirt." She couldn't quite remember but something told her that Richard liked it. "Okay, in the cart it goes. But I need some other things, like maybe some long underwear? Oh, and snow boots, and a coat."

"Yeah, not a lot of that stuff on the shelves anymore, not with Spring coming, at least in theory. Okay, here's the coat page." Ruby leaned over and directed her. She knew this website really well, though she hadn't actually bought anything from it. That was her other clue that it was something more. Gold had just handed over his credit card without blinking an eye. She'd even made a joke about trying to keep it under the painful level but he'd just waved them off with a word about getting Belle 'what she needed'. "Now, you want to answer the other question?"

"It's... complicated," Belle said. She wasn't sure she wanted to talk about it but she wasn't sure she didn't either. "I knew him before... before I got into trouble. I used to work for him, a while ago."

"You did?" Ruby asked. It came as news to her but at the same time, something tingled at the back of her mind, something that maybe she should ask her grandmother about when they were speaking again, if they started speaking again. "I don't remember anyone else ever working for Gold except Dove. Of course, why would it...weird. Anyway, so you worked for him and..."

Belle paused. She knew that Ruby didn't know her, or at least she showed no signs of knowing her. Still something was bugging her. Then she remembered what he'd said about keeping their association quiet. "We were pretty quiet about it. A lot of people hate him, and...he didn't want anyone getting the wrong idea. Then there was this misunderstanding between us, that ended in kind of an argument. I left and got into...well the sitatution I was in before I came here was pretty bad. But the man who helped me out of it knew about us, about me working for him. So he brought me here." It sounded plausible enough, Belle thought, without lying outright or telling her about her memory problems and being in the hospital. "What do you think of that coat?" she said, clicking one at random to get the conversation away from awkward topics.

"No, not that one," Ruby said, eagerly distracted by the job at hand. What Belle said made sense. Of course she knew it wasn't the whole story, and looking at the two of them together, she suspected that the 'argument' they had gotten into was probably around the intersection of work and something else, but it was really none of her business. "How about that one, it comes in a nice grey, or that blue, that's a really pretty blue...Hmmmm."

They had finished their task or at least what Ruby termed 'phase one' of 'Operation get Belle some clothes'. Belle laughed at that. "Yeah, I think I've been hanging around Henry too long, he has this fascination with spy stuff."

"I noticed. Yesterday when I met him, he had a walkie talkie in his bag and was talking to the Sheriff on it."

"Yeah, it's like this big secret operation. I'm in on it, of course. Basically Regina is trying to keep him and Emma apart, so she got these walkie talkies somewhere, I think they used to belong to the old sheriff. Anyway, they use them to plan meets and stuff," Ruby told her. "He's a good kid. I think I have a soft spot for him because I kind of understand the weird parent situation. I mean, my parents died when I was little. But at least I had Granny, she raised me. You can tell how easy that has been. Henry just wants to connect to who he is."

"Why does Regina want to keep them apart? I mean, if she's his birth mother and all..."

"Who knows why Regina does the things she does?" Ruby said with a shrug. "Woman's weird, kind of a cold fish too. But I just try to stay out of it. Plus, she's been worse lately. She's about as popular as Gold is."

"Do you know a man named French?' Belle asked. She was a little curious. She had asked Richard and he had told her that her father was still alive, but little else about him, though she had got him to admit that the man had probably also been told that she was dead. Why Regina had done that, she didn't know, but there was something there. Belle did know once she remembered, she would have a big part of the puzzle.

"Moe French, the florist? Sure, I know him. He and Gold hate each other, seriously hate each other. I mean, I'll be honest with you, Belle, a lot of people hate Gold. Hell, if there was a 'Hate Mr. Gold' club, my granny would probably be vice president, but Moe French, that's a different story. He broke in here a while back, stole some stuff. It got pretty nasty. Why?"

"He's...he's my father," she said quietly.

"Shit. I didn't even know he had a daughter. Why didn't you..."

"He thinks...someone told him I am dead," Belle told her. Gold had told her that much, though not about them hating each other. Then something came into her head, a big man, a voice with an accent like hers. _'You can't go with this...beast,' the man said to her._ Belle shoved the inconvenient memory away. "You can't tell anyone that I'm not, either," Belle suddenly said to Ruby. "Please, promise me you won't. It would be bad."

Ruby thought about it for a minute. She had mostly been trying not to think about what Belle had got herself into, but whatever it was, the redhead decided she wasn't really interested in getting in the middle. She nodded. "Okay, but...is this why he and Gold hate each other so bad, is that about you?"

"Kind of," Belle said, guessing from the little snippet of memory. "He didn't approve of me coming to work for him. I'm not sure that he doesn't blame Richard for my going away."

"Okay, I won't tell anyone, Belle, but when this is all over, maybe you should go talk to him?"

"Maybe I will do that. But for now, don't you have to get back to the station?" she asked.

"Shit, yeah. With Nottingham in the jail, Emma wants me to be there so she can go out on patrol. She only gave me this time off so that I could get some things done. We are going to split the overnight. Unlike Gold, Emma doesn't think that Nottingham should be left alone at the station." Belle nodded, she was pretty sure she knew why. Richard had shared with her that he thought Regina had hired Nottingham to set him up because he'd refused to help her with some project or other. But she couldn't tell Ruby that. "Anyway, I've got to pick up some clothes," she said as they went into the lounge, where Gold had finished with the papers and they were stacked neatly, his elegant signature in all the appropriate places. "I'm crashing at Ashliegh's 'til I figure it all out."

"Here, take some scones with you, give you something to eat..." Belle said, grabbing up the plate and rushing out to the kitchen.

"I..."

"Don't bother, Miss Lucas. Besides, it's not as if we don't have plenty," Gold said with a half smile.

"Yeah, just like Granny, bakes when stressed. You take good care of her, Gold, she's special," she said looking at him.

"Oh, you have no idea, Miss Lucas. So, did you manage to find the necessary clothes?"

"Yeah, Belle ordered a bunch of things. I set the delivery address to your shop, it was on the card on the desk. Is that right? I figured it would be less obvious that way."

"You did very well, and I am sure that Belle will let you know when they arrive so that you can come and see them, and collect your...advising fee."

At that the girl laughed. "Call it a personal shopper fee," she said. Belle flew out of the kitchen and pressed a bag on her.

"That should give you something to snack on for a bit."

"Thanks, Belle," she said, hugging the shorter girl as Gold led her to the door to let her out. Ruby thought about what Belle had said, as well as what he had. She had a lot to think about.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, a new chapter and only a day later than I wanted it. Sorry, I got distracted by another story, a one shot called "A Matter of Numbers" which involves questions of Pongo and puppies. 
> 
> So, thank you for your patience. Please enjoy the new chapter, read, comment and all those things. 
> 
> Enemies and Friends has recieved has been Nominated for The Espenson Awards for Best AU!OUAT so thanks to those that nominated it, and please, read the stories and cast your votes. I am terribly honoured, there are some fabulous stories nominated, and in this catagory I am in amazing company (and a little humbled by it to tell the truth).


	63. Under Pressure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ruby does something possibly foolish, Regina continues to scheme and meanwhile in Storybrooke, memories are being tested.

Ruby Lucas headed back downtown carrying a bag of food Belle had given her. It would keep her going for her shift at the Sheriff's station. Actually, with some coffee, it would probably keep her and Emma going, since she absolutely wouldn't be going to Granny's anytime soon. She was still thinking about what Belle had said, that her father had been told she was dead, Gold too, she was willing to bet. It seemed strange, but then the whole town was strange, she'd known that, or at least she had started thinking about it recently. Now she was wondering why it had never occurred to her before. Maybe it was just the sort of thing you didn't notice until something changed? Emma Swan had been a pretty big change too, though Ruby wasn't sure why she thought that was the catalyst.

It was with these disturbing thoughts in mind that she approached Main Street. There it was, the glory of downtown Storybrooke. Archie Hopper was taking Pongo for his walk, and waved to her in passing. Marco was busy fixing a door on the hardware store, and quite unexpectedly, Moe French was coming towards her.

The florist looked lost in his own thoughts and Ruby wondered. Everyone in town knew about Moe's battle with Mr. Gold, and how he'd broken into his house and stolen a bunch of stuff. She also knew, because Emma told her, that Gold had still gone after him, and her suspicion that there had been something else stolen, something personal. Ruby wasn't blind. There had been something between Gold and Belle, she could see it, and she would bet her entire apartment fund that whatever the 'bad situation' she'd been in, it wasn't something that Belle got into voluntarily. She'd also bet that if Gold had known about it earlier, it would have ended, possibly with a dead body.

But now, as Ruby reached the corner, there was Moe, and somehow she knew that it wasn't...she needed to do something. But she had made a promise to Belle. Then fate took over. Ruby, distracted by her thoughts, slipped on the ice just a little. Moe reached out and steadied her, set her back on her feet. "Thanks, Mr. French," she said with a smile. But as he nodded and started past her, she whispered quietly, "Belle is alive." It was low enough that Ruby wasn't certain that he had even heard her, but it was better not to stop. Certainly not now. Instead, she rushed off, salving her conscience that she had probably not done anything, he probably didn't even hear her. Still Ruby shivered and tried to ignore the part of her that said she had just done something very wrong.

Moe French stopped and stared after the Lucas girl. What was it she had said? Surely he had misheard, maybe she's been talking to herself? But part of him wouldn't quite let it go. "Belle is alive." What did that mean? Certainly nothing to him. He knew no one named Belle. Well....something in the back of his mind whispered. There was...he clamped down hard on the thought, on all of those thoughts. He didn't want to remember, didn't want to think about it, any of it, about Colette, and how she had died, about Belle, the name they had decided on for their baby girl, a baby that had never been born, but died with her mother. He must have misheard, it must have been an accident.

So distracted was he that he failed to notice when he almost ran over Regina. "Watch where you are walking, you clumsy..." she growled at him, her mood clearly less than stellar.

Usually this would scare him, but Moe's thoughts were too much in a whirl. "Excuse me...er... your... Mayorness," he said, distractedly and hurried off in the direction of his shop, thoughts already on other things.

"You should be," she shouted after him. "Don't know what is happening in this town," she muttered under her breath, trying to ignore the growing unease in the pit of her stomach, that said she knew exactly what was wrong, and she no longer had a good way of stopping it.

Moe went into the flower shop and locked the door behind him, turning the sign to closed. He couldn't afford to turn away business, even now that Gold had returned his truck and wiped the past due and interest amounts on his loan. But right now, he couldn't deal with...anything, actually.

Instead, he climbed the stairs to his small apartment over the shop. Moe looked around and pulled open a cabinet and grabbed the full bottle of liquor, sat in the cabinet so long that his fingers left marks in the dust on the bottle. Then he settled down at the kitchen table to get truly and spectacularly drunk for the first time in longer than he could remember, possibly since his wife's death. Maybe that would chase away the ghosts, or if it didn't, maybe he just wouldn't care.

Gold took Jefferson's next call in the kitchen. The Lucas girl had left and after he had convinced Belle, much as Ruby already had, that the money she spent on clothes meant nothing at all to him as long as she had what she needed, she had settled back on the settee to continue reading Henry's book.

"You have the Queen's goat well and truly gotten, old friend," Jefferson said. He sounded a bit less manic, but that could mean anything, or nothing. "She has been going past the Sheriff's station regularly today, a lot more regularly than usual, always looking to see if the lovely Miss Swan has left her prisoner alone, which she hasn't, especially now that she has Miss Lucas to look after him as well. The wolf guarding the...not exactly a hen house, and I'd hardly call Nottingham a sheep, more like a skunk or a weasel, only without the brains of either."

"Is there anything else?" he asked. Rumplestiltskin had always tried to have patience with Jefferson, but as he was relatively sane at the moment, as far as he could tell, anyway, it was best to get as much of a straight answer from him as he could.

"Well, besides Miss Lucas almost falling on Moe French? Ice, I think. Moe is rather distracted, he almost ran down her Maj, and she gave him a sharpish bit of her tongue, but then that's nothing new. If anything, she was less vicious than usual. But then, she is distracted herself, now isn't she, since her magic mirror, mirror is no longer on the wall..."

"Hatter..." he warned.

"The little wooden boy, well man, I suppose, is also keeping watch. I'd not be surprised if he comes to see you tomorrow, since he will most certainly not go to her. Right now he is going to try to 'run into' Miss Swan, strictly by accident, you understand of course, at Granny's."

Gold listened to the rest of the report with a half on ear while making plans. He was certain Regina was out even now trying to figure out which of the town's remaining less than solid citizens for hire she could actually trust. It had always been a problem. Many of her guards had come through during the curse but those men had always been mercenaries, and hardly great thinkers. With the addition of their cursed memories, it hadn't improved. Adding that to Sidney's missing status, Nottingham's arrest, and the fact that many people who could guess at what that meant, she would find hiring difficult. Very few people would take sides when he and Regina were no longer occasional rivals, but practically in open warfare with one another. Just the way he liked it.

He'd finished with Jefferson, and was about to call on Dove when he heard a quiet knock at the kitchen door. A quick look assured him that Belle was still on the settee, and he pulled the door almost closed before turning to see who had come to call.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for holding on, for the reading and the commenting and the kudos. I've been feeling a bit down about my writing this week, of course, I also had dental surgery so it could just be the pain. Thanks to all my readers, and of course to my sister, BardicRaven, who betas this.. Regardless, please do all the important things, comment, kudos, all of that sort of thing. 
> 
> Question of the chapter...who do you think it as the door?


	64. A Difficult conversation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Henry and Gold talk.

Gold opened the door and was only mildly surprised to find Henry Mills standing there. "Hey, Mr. Gold," he said, looking around carefully to make sure he wasn't being observed.

"Henry," he said, hustling the boy into the kitchen quickly. "What are you doing here, lad?"

"I came to see how Belle is doing with my book." The boy leaned close to him. "Is she, you know, remembering?" he whispered as if he wasn't sure who was around.

"Not yet, but we will see. Are you certain it is safe for you to be here? I will not have Belle put in danger," he said, his voice dropping in a warning tone.

"Don't worry. My mom is too busy being freaked out by you being out of jail. She broke about half the things in her office after I left for school. When I went by the house to get changed, there was glass everywhere. I think she knows what's happening. I just hope..."

"Richard?" He heard Belle's voice from the other room.

Richard? Henry mouthed. He'd never actually heard anyone use Gold's cursed first name before. But it could be worse, he supposed. After all, most of them were pretty obvious. Gold waved a hand at him to be quiet though.

"I'm in the kitchen, love. Henry Mills stopped by," he said. Henry gave him a look, hoping he understood that there were some questions he wanted to ask first, questions that Belle ought not hear. "He just needs to talk to me for a moment, then we will be in," Gold said through the door. "Now, Henry, I gather there is something you want to know?"

"Kind of, I guess. I mean," he sighed. He'd never thought he'd find himself talking to Rumplestiltskin, but despite what they had done, the only people involved in Operation Cobra that he knew actually believed him were Gold and August, and he wasn't one hundred percent sure he trusted the other guy. They had discussed getting his mother to believe, but the man had said he had some other plans, and that was the part that worried him. "Graham, he died because he started to believe, didn't he? So how can the curse be broken if Mom kills everyone who starts to believe?"

"Graham started to believe before he read your book, Henry. I suspect something happened between him and your birth mother." Gold wasn't going to lie to the boy, nor was he going to tell him the unvarnished truth. He didn't believe in protecting children from the facts, or the consequences of their actions, something this world found far too easy to do, but neither was he willing to be harsh. Henry deserved to know the truth, but he also needed to know he wasn't responsible. "Besides her gift of being able to tell when people are lying, her mere presence causes the curse to weaken. Those for whom Regina has made the strongest...modifications, are going to be more affected by it. She had Graham's heart, he literally had no will of his own. I'm certain..." Gold honestly wasn't sure how much more to say. Had Regina cared for Graham? Probably as well as she could for anyone, certainly she had made use of his body, something that had been more or less an open secret, though most who knew assumed that the Sheriff was a willing participant. He found the entire thing distasteful, but then he'd never cared to compel someone into his bed.

"Mom, you know, Regina, not Emma, she and Graham,... they were, you know, doing things together..." Henry said, quietly. "But if she had his heart, does that mean..." The boy clearly wasn't certain he wanted to know. Certainly he was at an age when girls were still a mystery. But this wasn't a conversation he wanted to be having with him ever.

"Your mother's relationship with the Sheriff was really none of my business. What you need to know is that the only person responsible for Graham's death is Regina. As to the curse, she can't stop people from remembering, and she can't kill everyone who does. Belle is safe, as long as she is here. Do you think I would have allowed you and that book anywhere near her if I thought it wasn't? I will protect her, so you see, you have no need to fear that what you are doing will put her in danger. Does that answer your question, lad?"

"Yeah," Henry said with a smile.

"Very well, shall we see what Belle is up to? I am certain she will want to see you, and possibly fill you up with desserts." Gold resisted the urge to ruffle his hair the way he had done with Bae. He turned his thoughts away from his son. Clearly he'd given Henry enough information and they had gotten away from the truly awkward issue of Graham's compulsory sexual service, something he wished not to discuss with anyone, ever.

"Rumple...er... Probably better if I call you Mr. Gold, huh?"

"It is, yes, what else do you want of me lad?"

"Do you know who August Booth is?" he asked.

"I do, yes, why do you ask?" Now the lad had his curiosity up.

"Because he's trying to help Emma to believe. I told him he should talk to you. He wanted to try to get something away from you, some kind of thing to compel you, but I told him it would be better if he just talked to you."

"It would be best, yes. He did me a good turn, so perhaps I would have forgiven such a rash act, but..."

"I saw him at the diner this morning, I told him to come talk to you tomorrow. He doesn't know that I know, but I know that he knows, if you know what I mean."

"Aye, lad, I do," he said with a grin. So very much like his boy, he thought. "Now, let's go see what Belle is up to."

"So what were you two up to for so long in there?" Belle asked, smiling. "Were you plotting something?"

"Who us?" Henry asked. They both tried to look innocent, and only Henry pulled it off marginally well. "We were just discussing...um...something for my mom. Mr. Gold is trying to help me with a gift for her...er...birthday." Gold looked at him as if to say, 'really, that is what you are going with dearie?' but he just nodded.

"Ummmhmmm," Belle said, clearly not convinced. "You boys keep your secrets, if you must. Meanwhile, Henry, would you like some cocoa, it's cold out there. I need to make Richard and I more tea anyway."

"Yeah, sure, Miss Belle, ummm, could you put cinnamon in it? It makes it better."

"I can do that," she said with a shrug. "I usually put nutmeg, but I'll try it. What about you, Richard, tea or would you rather try some of my cocoa?"

"Whatever you wish, dear," he said, as he sat down. Things were definitely getting complicated, and all of this was entirely too domestic. Belle was making cocoa in his kitchen for the sheriff's son, what was next, a visit from Charming and Snow White? Of course with the curse so very close to breaking, it could happen. Actually he wasn't exactly sure what was next. Regina was clearly going out of her mind, or more than she had been, from what Jefferson said. Soon enough things would reach a point where no one could deny what was happening. For a moment he considered not opening the shop tomorrow. He was fairly certain Regina was either going to make a move against him, or try to apologise and he was in the mood for neither, but he had things he had to attend to, and that included being available for August Booth. He had told the truth, he owed him a good turn for Belle. Besides, any more pressure on the curse at this point needed to be applied correctly.

"Did she read it?" Henry asked. He was still looking around the room, looking at all the things that were there.

"She did, yes. Last night, in fact."

"Is it..."the boy started, looking around, just to be sure. "Is it working?" he whispered.

"I believe so. In fact, I think I need only add one more ingredient and...." That was the other reason he needed to go to the shop. After the break in, he'd taken the cup to the shop, locked it in a very special cabinet that only he could get into. He wouldn't risk losing it. Now it was time for it to come back into play. So many things to come back into play...Starting with Belle's cup and Red's hood, and he was certain he could think of a few other things, just to make it interesting for Regina. DA Spencer was already unpredictable...perhaps it was even time to see that a certain wand made it back to a certain very clumsy fairy.

"Cocoa, and I brought some scones and some cookies, Henry, I wasn't certain which you would prefer." Gold accepted his cup and rose from the settee.

"Thanks, love. I have a few phone calls I need to make, just a couple of arrangements. You and Henry enjoy talking about the book," he said. He gave Henry a wink as he slipped back into the kitchen. Plans didn't just make themselves, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, to all of you who guessed it was Henry at the Door, you were right. I'm afraid I've been on a bit of a streak. Thank you for all the comments, and the love. Also, while this story did not win a TEA, thank you to those who nominated it and voted for it. I appreciate it, and this is rather my baby. 
> 
> Thanks, as usual to my sister BardicRaven and to all of you lovely readers who keep me writing. Question for the next chapter...what other things do you think Gold is about to release into the community? Have you caught the ones that have already been put out?


	65. Joining forces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Ruby gets something she didn't know she needed, and someone confronts Rumplestiltskin.

Mr. Gold looked out along the street as he turned the sign to 'Open', not that it seemed to matter much. He had a few things he wanted to handle today before he returned home. He was fairly certain they were close to a breakthrough with Belle's memory, and with Dove busy keeping Sidney safe, he didn't want her alone any longer than necessary, and there was still too much risk to bring her to the shop. Last night she had dreamed, he could tell by the painfully delicious way she had squirmed against him in the night, disturbing his already limited sleep. But they didn't seem to be nightmares, and at least once, he thought he had heard her whisper his name, his real name. This close he most certainly wasn't going to leave her more than he had to.

Of course Belle hadn't been keen on him going particularly. She worried for him and that alone was enough to warm his black, shriveled heart. Still, he told her that he only planned to attend to necessary business and then return. "My routine no longer matters, love," he'd told her when she asked. "Not now that the gloves are off. Regina has many more concerns than you. In fact, I've no doubt that a good chunk of Storybrooke will be avoiding both of us as much as possible. I am most certainly avoiding her, or more particularly, snubbing her."

"Promise me you won't do anything to her," she said. Belle had been concerned about his reaction from almost moment one, which told him that no matter what, she was still his Belle under it all.

"I have no intention of even speaking to her if I can avoid it," he reassured his love. Still, he had seen the worry on her face when she'd seen him off that morning. He only hoped that his kitchen could stand another bout of her worry.  
At least another one of his worries had sorted itself this morning, in the form of a call from his cleaner asking to reschedule her visit. Her daughter and grandchildren were all down with the flu. While it was a relief, he didn't want to behave out of character. He'd told her in no uncertain terms that he'd rather she kept her germ exposed self to herself, thanks ever so, and they would reschedule for afterward. "I've already lost enough time to nonsense this week," Gold said sharply before he disconnected the call.

Now he was looking out onto Main Street. That woman had been a baker in the village near his Castle, that man, a minister under King George, that one a soldier, that a sailor, and the girl who was even now helping take up the slack at Granny's one he had once done a rather nice piece of business for. He made a note to check up on that one, their agreement had been for a safe life, he'd not have Regina mess with his deals.

Gold didn't know everyone in Storybrooke, but he probably knew more than most. Ruby Lucas was walking towards the Sheriff's station down his side of the street, clearly avoiding Granny's still. He picked up the broom to sweep the walk, he needed to 'run into her' anyway.

"Miss Lucas," he said, as she drew level with him.

"Gold," she replied cautiously. After all, it wasn't as if they had ever been social.

"Why don't you step inside for a moment," he said quietly, almost under his breath.

"Why?" Ruby asked suspiciously. "Why should I even speak to you?"

"Two reasons, I found a piece that I thought you might be interested in," he said quietly as he swept. "And because Mrs. Lucas is watching and she, and everyone in town will assume you are talking to me about an apartment?"

"Yeah, true," she agreed. "Okay, Mr. Gold, let's take a look at that lease paperwork," she said. "I'll want to read it first anyway." He nodded formally and allowed her to proceed him, ever the gentleman.

Two pairs of eyes were watching from Granny's. One, of course, was Mrs. Lucas, worried about what her granddaughter was up to and suspecting that this time, she really meant to leave. The other was one 'August Booth'.

Gold smiled as he saw them, closing the door behind them. "Miss Lucas, come into the back for a moment," he said. "I'd rather not do this out front."

Ruby had always been naturally curious, and she'd never been in Gold's backroom, so naturally, she wanted to know. Besides, what could the man possibly have that he thought she would want. As she stepped through the curtain, she saw it, and she knew that he had been right.

 

When Ruby Lucas left the shop, she was carrying a rather large manilla envelope, very ostentatiously. No one was going to see the overstuffed state of her tote bag when she had that, especially not anyone in the small town gossip haven that was Storybrooke. With a big smile on her face, Ruby headed towards the Sheriff's station. Let her grandmother consider this the next time she tried to tell her how to live her life. In two days, Ruby had secured a new job and, if she wanted, a new home. Oh, it was small, and despite being in Gold's good favour, it wouldn't get her a break on the rent, but it was a start. If nothing else, it would give her some leverage with Granny, if and when they started talking again. She loved the old woman who had raised her since she was a toddler, but she wasn't a little girl anymore, and it was time she started looking for her own life.

 

August Booth sat at the table in the front window of the diner, breakfast finished, coffee mug beside him, and an open notebook and pen in front of him, covering his surveillance of the pawnshop as 'writer in deep thought'. Not that he wasn't deep in thought. August had been thinking about what Henry had said. The boy told him that he was pretty certain Gold knew who he was and that was why he and Regina were at their current state of 'at each other's throats', rather than their usual relationship, which was more like polite but vaguely hostile. August also suspected that Henry knew more than he was sharing, but he didn't want to push the boy. He didn't want to do anything that would make Regina any more suspicious of him than she already was. That wouldn't help anything.

Gold was in the shop, which had remained closed yesterday. Perhaps now would be the time. He knew he didn't want to confront the man at his home, especially since he suspected Belle was there and Gold was more than likely to take anything like a perceived threat seriously, potentially fatally so. His choices were limited and Henry had been right, trying to push the man, or coerce him, was not the best move, in fact, it was pretty close to the worst. It was always better to be on Rumplestiltskin's good side, or as close to a good side as he had.

Besides, Rumplestiltskin wasn't one to allow the books to go unbalanced. August had done him a good turn, and he would want to return the favour as soon as possible. Now was the time, he could feel it, actually it was a wonder everyone couldn't, like the calm right before a storm. Things were starting to 'show up' around town, pieces of people's past, bits of memories. Everything was on a knife's edge. Perhaps together they could give it a push. He closed his notebook and grabbed his check. It was time to confront the Beast in his lair.

 

The tinkle of the brass bell caused Gold to look up from the ledger he was reviewing. When he saw who it was, the pawnbroker gave a half smile, but said nothing, waiting.

"Mr. Gold," the young man said as he made his way to the counter.

"Mr. Booth. I've been wondering when you would come to see me," Gold said. The imp was cackling away inside, and that hint of mischief was just visible in his eyes, enough to be disconcerting.

"I know who you are," he blurted out, unsure what to say or how, all of his nerve deserting him.

Gold nodded slightly. "And I you. You see, besides the lovely Sheriff, there are only two other people that I am aware of who would be able to come to Storybrooke and stay as you have," he said conversationally. But then the look changed, his eyes went cold and dark, the sorcerer he had been very close to the surface. "And my son has brown eyes, like his father. What is it you want, Mr. Booth, or should I say, Pinocchio?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks as usual to all my lovely readers for doing their thing. If you are reading some of my other stories, you may notice they aren't getting updated as often, only because I am very close to the end of this, and this is where the muse is staying. All the comments, kudos, etc are helping and just might fuel getting it done faster.
> 
> Oh, and just in case you are wondering, and especially for my sister, the deal with the young woman, who will be appearing later is related to the story, "Some Lines". BardicRaven asked if she was going to make an appearance.


	66. Games People Play

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ruby shows off her acquisition, and Gold and Booth 'negotiate'.

"Emma, you have got to see this," Ruby said as she stepped into the inner office, and dropped her envelope and her bag. They had pretty much abandoned the outer office. Nottingham was sober and had been sent to the showers (under the threat of being hosed off with the same stuff they used to disinfect the floors). The problem was, while he was refused to talk about anything they wanted him to, he was more than willing to listen to himself talk. That and he kept trying to hit on them, individually and together. At the moment he was asleep, which had its benefits, unfortunately being able to talk over his chainsaw impression wasn't one of them.

Ruby closed the door and opened her tote, taking out what Emma first thought was a red curtain, or possibly a tablecloth. The tall girl shook it and proceeded to put it on, a red, hooded cape or something like it. _Little Red Riding Hood_ , Henry's voice whispered in her ear, but Emma shook it off.

"It's...it's nice. Don't know where you'll wear it though. Where did you get it?" she asked.

"Oh, I...um...I stopped by the pawnshop this morning."

"Didn't know you and Gold were friendly," Emma said. Gold. It wasn't the first time she had heard his name associated with something...the thought wandered away as Ruby hugged the cloak to her.

"No one is friendly with Gold, but the other day when I brought him his dinner, he told me that the apartment I've kind of wanted for a while was vacant. He was open, so I figured it couldn't hurt to get a copy of the rental agreement, you know, read it over before I decide. Anyway, while he was getting the papers for me, I saw this." She did a little spin and Emma couldn't help but smile. "It just feels so...right, somehow."

"Okay, that works. I'm a little surprised that Gold gave you the agreement to read though. Aren't people always complaining that no one gets the better of a deal with him?"

"It's true. Of course, I've also heard him complaining that no one ever reads the papers before they sign them. Trust me, I've seen my share of confrontations with him, I know better."

"Still, are you sure you want to do this? I mean I know that you and your grandmother have some issues, but..."

"Look Emma, I have to do something. I love Granny, really I do. But I just can't keep on like we were. Working together, living together, it's like I was still in high school, and she doesn't want me to grow up. I just need to figure out exactly what I want to do. I know she figures some day I will take over the place, but I'm not even sure that's what I want. I need to be on my own. I'm not going to jump into anything, but I want to look at my options, you know?" she said, her eyes begging Emma to understand.

"Yeah, I get it. Just take your time. How was staying with Ashleigh?"

"Ah...that's not a situation I can take for very long either. I love kids, okay? Don't get me wrong. But with Sean working night shift at the cannery and Alexandra teething, it's a good thing I was here for part of the night."

"Well, I got the coffee started, I should go on patrol soon, before you know who starts getting on my case."

"Before you go, want some of this?" she asked, pulling a container out of the seemingly bottomless tote bag. "If I eat all of it, I won't fit into my clothes. Scone or muffin."

"What's with the bakery? I know you and your grandmother aren't exactly speaking and I didn't think you were much of a baker."

"I'm not," Ruby said, improvising. After all, Belle had given her enough for a large family. "I've got a friend who bakes when she gets stressed."

"Ummm," Emma said from around a mouthful of muffin that she had taken from the container. "Boyfriend troubles?"

Ruby thought fast. She didn't want to say more than necessary, but she liked to avoid the outright lies. "Kind of the opposite. She finally moved in with him and things are great, except just as she got settled, he got tied up with something and she was home alone and couldn't sleep."

"It doesn't sound right?" Emma asked. Ruby looked at her. "The new house, it doesn't sound right yet. I was the same when I first moved in with Mary Margaret, thought every creak was someone breaking in or something."

"Yeah, I get it. I probably would be more weirded by Ashliegh's couch if it was the first time I had slept over."

"Well, this stuff is great," Emma said, grabbing a napkin from her desk drawer to wrap around it. "You have my permission to share whenever she needs to take her stress out in the kitchen."

"I'll remember that, if I get through this batch. Seriously, she gave me enough for an army. So how's it going with..." she pointed through to the cell, changing the subject.

"We're supposed to arraign him this afternoon for the break in at Gold's, tampering with evidence, interfering in a police investigation, and anything else Spencer can think of. Seriously, I don't know what crawled up his ass, but he's been in a really foul mood since we arrested Stinky. He wants to add some charges for Sidney, but we have no evidence, and he doesn't want to risk the conviction, so meanwhile, I'm trying to investigate, and still keep an eye on the town. Anyway, Nottingham has no legal representation, since the only lawyer in town who isn't the prosecutor or the judge, is the victim. Apparently, Spencer got on to legal aid in Portland, so if he calls, let me know immediately. He's waiting to hear back from them. I'll bring lunch when I get back, but if you want to stay in here, I totally understand. David's coming over around 12:30 to supervise his shower and change for court. Meanwhile..." she said grabbing her leather jacket.

"Hold down the fort, I got it. Besides, I've got these to read," Ruby said, holding up the envelope of paperwork from Gold.

 

August Booth looked at the man and tried to hide the shock he felt. It had been so long since he even thought of himself that way, and he had run so very far away from his roots, pun intended. It was true, among the plans he had thought about, at least one involved pretending to be Bae, but like the one with the dagger, when he had found Regina's secret, he hadn't been able to resist, and that at least gave him some credit in Rumplestiltskin's book. "One good turn deserves another, don't you agree, Dark One?"

If he thought naming the imp was going to put him off his stride, he was sadly mistaken. It did earn him a half smile, and a slight bow with a flourish that would have been familiar to half the town, whether they remembered or not. "I do, and I always pay my debts. You and I both know what you have done for me, and I could make a good guess at what you need me to do for you. How are the joints, boy?" he asked.

"Not so good. I'm starting to return to wood, but you know that, don't you?"

"Let us say, I suspected. You were given a task and you failed to perform it." Looking at the shock on the other man's face, he couldn't help but indulge him, if only a little. "Just because I was in the dungeons, never assume I didn't hear things. I know how far a father will go to protect his son, better than most, and I know the Blue Fairy's treachery, though, as usual, she decided it was for the greater good. Still, you came to this world with a mission, and yet, Miss Swan was woefully unprepared for her duties when she arrived here in Storybrooke," Gold said, his eyes piercing. If August hadn't known better, he would have sworn the man could read his mind.

"I was just a child, I thought she would be safe. It wasn't as easy as I thought it would be...I."

"Be that as it may, Mr. Booth, you have a problem, and while I owe you a good turn, there is very little I can do about it," he said slowly.

"But you are..."

"I am, but we are in a land without magic, or rather with very little magic, and it's magic that you need."

"Then I'm screwed is what you're saying. Even with the curse broken...Unless you know a way to bring magic here, do you?" August asked, looking closely. It was hard, Rumplestiltskin was an expert in hiding things.

"I might have a way, just a few things set aside..."

"You have a plan," the puppet accused.

"I always have a plan, or several. Let us face it, you didn't release my Belle for any other reason than to get me to help you break the curse. You hoped that it would fix you. Unfortunately, you are running out of time."

"Then there is nothing you can do for me, it was all for nothing," August said, his shoulder's slumping.

"Now, I didn't say that, I might have something. Like Regina, I put a few things by, might help, couldn't hurt," he said with a shrug.

"Alright, what do you want?"

"Why nothing at all, we will call it balancing the books. Besides, you will continue to help Miss Swan to believe. After the curse is broken...well, then I suppose you will have a choice, deal with me, or with the Blue Fairy. But for that, you will need something worth trading."

"Alright, where do we start?" he asked, schooling his face. He knew exactly what he had worth trading. But he wasn't going to give that away, not yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who is reading here, and commenting, and the kudos and all of those things. YOu have no idea how much a appreciate it. 
> 
> So the question for this chapter is...what is it that August thinks he has to trade for a cure? I should offer a prize for this one :) Thanks to my beta and my sister, BardicRaven who puts up with me, prompts me and makes me think. 
> 
> For those who follow me on tumblr, I am doing a week of prompts next week to celebrate my fiftieth follower. Any !verse. My sister is busy giving me all kinds of prompts based on my fluffapalozza fic, 'Daddy's little girl' so if anyone wants to see anything different, please send me something.


	67. Setting the board

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina and Gold start making moves in the final game.

Gold began to close up the shop. As he suspected, he'd had no business save for Booth and Miss Lucas and he'd seen Regina's car pass by, which meant she was around somewhere.

He turned the lock and the sign out front and then opened a very special cupboard and removed a velvet bag. Rumplestiltskin opened it almost reverently. Inside, he could feel it, all the potential wrapped in his most sacred of artifacts. It was time. He took the bag and locked himself out the back door. He still needed to get groceries for his Belle.

 

Moe French woke past noon with a headache the likes of which he'd not had since his run in with...a name tried to surface, but it wasn't right, and from deep in his aching head, he could swear he heard giggling. He tried to open his eyes, but the dark apartment was suddenly too bright for him. Tracking back, he vaguely remembered coming home yesterday feeling unsettled for some reason. Then he'd had a drink, followed by several more in very short order. After that, it was a blank.

That was odd, he wasn't particularly a drinking man, not since uni, the odd beer at Granny's was about it. Still something had made him want to drink, which was also strange. He couldn't figure out why. Hopefully it wasn't something coming on. On the second try, he managed to unglue his eyelids. His mouth tasted like the bottom of an ashcan and he felt every one of his fifty seven odd years. In fact, at the moment, he could add another twenty or thirty to that number.

Moe dragged himself up from the old couch towards the shower. Flowers weren't going to sell themselves, even with his Gold problems settled, more or less. He just hoped that Greg had opened for him. The boy was as close to a son as he was ever going to have at this point. But he wondered why the young man hadn't knocked him up. Not really capable of thinking about it, he dragged himself off for a shower. Somewhere, drifting in the back of his aching head, a name kept coming back though. Belle.

 

Ruby Lucas had already read through the rental agreement Gold had given her and was thinking about starting on the book she found in the bottom of her bag, though she had a feeling she'd read it before. She was enjoying her new job, she decided. It was like the diner, all the gossip, none of the sore feet. Maybe this was what she wanted, she thought. Perhaps when Emma got back, she should ask her what it would take to become a deputy. Before she could wander further into those thoughts, she heard the outer door open, the sharp click of heels on the tile, and a whiff of expensive perfume. That could mean only one person.

"Mayor Mills," Ruby greeted her as she walked in. "If you are looking for the Sheriff, she's gone to take Keith for arraignment. I expect they should be back pretty soon. Or I could take a message?" She gestured to the pink pad of message slips, sitting next to a pile of ones that were already filled in.

"I suppose I thought they would be finished already," the Mayor said, covering for the fact that George, DA Spenser in this world, had failed to inform her of the arraignment. But he'd been much less accommodating in the last couple of days. It was only adding to her anger, but now wasn't the time to show it. "I wanted to see how the search for Sidney was going, and see if she'd gotten anywhere with Mr. Nottingham."

Ruby shrugged. She wasn't sure what she should say, but since nothing had happened, there wasn't anything to tell. The hairs on the back of her neck had been standing up since the woman had come in. Mayor Mills was being nice, and something about that was bothering her. "I think the arraignment should be pretty short. The only thing Keith has done, besides ask for a lawyer, is hit on us, and complain about....everything, actually. The lawyer thing is causing us some problems, though."

The Mayor nodded and smiled what she probably thought was a pleasant smile. "Yes, somehow I doubt Mr. Gold would volunteer to represent him, even if he could. So how are you holding up? Do you like your new job? You've settled in I see, and rumor has it you went to see Gold this morning."

"Been looking at that apartment across from Dr. Hopper for a while. Gold said it was vacant. It can't hurt to look at my options." Ruby was getting less comfortable all the time, but it wouldn't do to get on Regina's bad side.

"What's that? Does the Sheriff have you cooking for her too? I didn't realise it was in the job description." Regina laughed.

"Nah, just trying to get rid of some muffins. A friend of mine overbaked, so I figured I'd share. Would you like one?"

"No," she said. "I..." but before she could say more, the phone began to ring.

"Storybrooke Sheriff's office, this is Ruby, how can I help you?" she answered in her most professional voice, holding up one finger and hoping that the mayor would get the hint and leave. "Yes, Mrs. Hubbard. Oh, your dog got loose again...Mr. Gold's garbage cans, yes, he did say that, I'm sure....Chasing Mrs. Norris' cat, yes it's perfectly normal for him..." Looking up, she was relieved when Regina made the universal signs for coming back later. Everyone in town knew Mrs. Hubbard could talk forever and for once, Ruby was grateful.

 

Gold had arrived at the house with fresh groceries, when his mobile started to ring. "Her Royal Bitchiness requested my presence, along with my hat. I can't refuse."

"No, not at all, Jefferson," Gold replied in what he hoped were soothing tones. "Do what you have to do, and then call me as soon as you can after."

"I can't risk Grace," the man said, desperately. "I can't."

"You won't. But if we know what she's up to, I can figure a counter. Still, I think it's time the furnace at her adopted parent's house got seen to, inefficient old thing. Leroy is always looking for a little extra work. I'll call him. That'll be someone there if she makes a move while you are meeting her. We are so close now, Jefferson."

"Thanks, old man."

"Just call me as soon as you can. And don't let her get you into that hat. I doubt she has the magic, but..."

"I'll be careful, and I'll call."

Gold rang off and got back on the phone. After so long, things were starting to move quickly and he had to be just as fast. Inside, the imp was giggling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so we are getting down to the end, but there were a few last minute details that needed to be added. Thank you all for reading, and if you want to know where I was last week, check out the Seven Days, Seven Prompts series. One of them, Information Overload, is 'Enemies and Friends'. The usual thanks, and of course, please read, comment, etc. I particularly love comments, as they tell me what I am doing right and wrong.


	68. The Queen in Play

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One of the most important pieces on the chess board comes into play as the stakes get higher. 
> 
>  
> 
> *I will be hiding from the torches and pitchforks*

"I can do it, but it's a big job," Leroy said. 'You sure Dove..." It wasn't unheard of for Gold to hire him for a solo job, but it was pretty rare, especially one this big.

"Dove is handling another job for me, out of town right now, and I need this done immediately. If you can't handle it..."

"No, no, I can do it, just sayin' by myself it'll take a while. Maybe I could get Fred to help out."

Gold mentally indexed the dwarves 'til he'd matched the name with his uncursed self, Bashful, that would do. "All right, the two of you then, usual rate, but I want it done immediately. I want it completely flushed, and checked. While you're at it, check the valves. I'll not be having to replace the flooring because of a blown valve."

"Yeah, yeah, I know the routine I'll have Walter put the parts on your account," the dwarf growled a little. He didn't particularly like Gold, but the man paid well as long as the job was done exactly the way he wanted it. Besides, maybe he'd have him go back to the convent while he was on furnaces. Not that he was interested in anything but the furnace. That thing was a dinosaur.

"See that you do."

 

Gold carried the groceries in when he was finished. He'd done what he could. He was fairly certain Grace was safe, it wouldn't serve Regina's purpose to damage her bargaining chips. Still, nothing suspicious about Leroy doing a little furnace repair with one of his brothers. If anyone saw, they would think Dove was doing the same elsewhere.

The groceries were on the table when Belle came in and immediately went to him. "You're home," she said with a bright smile. If only she smiled at him like that when her memory returned, it would all be perfect. He would have half of his own happy ending.

"Yes, everything went about as expected. I think people are avoiding me more than usual."

"None of that," she chided, kissing him softly. "What is that in your pocket?" Belle asked, patting the large bulge in his top coat.

"Ah, that is one of my greatest treasures," he said, removing the velvet bag. It had been uncomfortable, but he'd found himself unwilling to part from it at all. "Open it," he urged.

Belle opened the bag and reached inside. "It's just a manky old..." A look came over her face as she put her hand on it.

_"It's chipped. It's just a little one, you can barely see it."_

_"It's just a cup_."

The memory hit hard and she almost dropped it, but Gold's hands came up on top of hers, steadying her. "It's mine. I mean it's yours. I...I broke it," she said. "You kept it."

"Are you all right?" he asked, looking deeply into her eyes, searching for something.

"I broke it. I dropped it," she said a little vaguely. Then she shook her head. It was gone again. But at least it was another piece, or so she tried to tell herself. "One of your greatest treasures?" she questioned.

"It is. When I thought you were dead, it was one of the few things I had left of you," he said quietly, not looking at her.

Belle smiled and took his chin in her hand. "Well, now you have me as well," she said and leaned in to kiss him. It was a sweet, gentle kiss, and he could feel the slightest tingle. It was coming, slowly, but it was coming. They separated reluctantly. "Now that you have the cup, I should make us some tea to go in it."

They sat at the table and ate quietly, until Belle turned to him. "I'm having dreams," she said. "They feel like real things, from my life but mixed up, as if they are taking place in another world or another time. It's insane, or maybe I am. Do you think that's why I was locked up?" Her voice held a wealth of concern.

"You are not insane," he told her. This was going to take very careful wording. "I think your memory loss was an excuse to lock you up to get back at me, and for all that I will spend the rest of my life trying to make it up to you. I think..." He paused, searching for the right thing to say. "Your mind is trying to find a way to express itself. Archetype, symbol, metaphor, I'm not certain what to call it, but people have spent their entire lives trying to sort it out."

"Maybe when I've got my memory back, it will all make sense," she said, trying to make light of it, but he could see she was still disturbed. He helped her clean up from lunch. It was still on her mind, he could tell. It tore at him but there was nothing he could do about it, save do penance to her later. He had done horrible things in his life, but few ripped at his blackened heart like this.

"All right, sweetheart?" he asked.

"Just this headache, it won't go away," she said.

"Why don't you take a couple of headache tablets and have a nap?" he suggested. "The last few days have been very stressful."

"Will you lay down with me?" Belle asked. "At least until I fall alseep?"

"Just until you sleep."

 

"Hey Ruby," Henry Mills said as he popped into his mom's office. He noticed the bundle of red cloth carelessly stuffed into the bag behind her. Rumplestiltskin had been busy. "What's that?" he asked, pointing to the bag. Of course, Ruby couldn't resist getting it out again and modeling it.

By the time Emma came in with Keith and David, he was siting at an empty desk with his homework and one of Belle's muffins. 'Belle's a part of Operation Cobra, too, kind of,' he'd told her as she put it on a paper towel.

"Hey Emma, how'd it go?" he asked, looking up from the almost finished math problems.

Emma released Keith to David to take him to change out of what had passed for court clothes, delivered by a disreputable looking friend of his, and looking like they had been retrieved from the back of a drawer. At least they didn't stink. David told her that when he'd accepted his shower kit, brought by the same friend, he'd thrown away the man's body spray as an 'offensive' weapon. "Well, Mr. Nottingham's going to be out guest for a while longer. No one came forward to post his bail, and apparently he hasn't got the money. Also, Storybrooke is really short on bail bondsmen, like none."

"Not a lot of need," Ruby said with a shrug. "When there is, most people go to Mr. Gold and..." Ruby smiled slightly.

"Yeah, that would work, let the guy who he's charged with robbing bail him out, then I would have to worry about him turning up in the hospital. Geez, is there anything in this town that man is not involved in?" Emma asked. Ruby shrugged but Henry seemed to be considering it seriously.

"The school board?" the young man said. "That's all I can think of."

"Okay, kiddo, well, it looks like you've made yourself at home. Ruby, anything I need to worry about?"

"Nothing much," she said, handing her the messages. "Mrs. Hubbard's dog is really more for David, unless he's in Gold's garbage cans again..."

"I got it," David said as he returned with the prisoner. "That dog is an escape artist, and old Mrs. Hubbard isn't getting any faster. I'd better go, if you don't need me anymore. Last time he got loose it took me two hours to catch him and that was only because he stopped to play with Pongo."

"Well, here's the other half," Ruby said. "Mrs. Norris' cat..."

"Back up the tree, yeah, at least I know where to find her."

"Cats up trees and loose dogs in garbage cans. Except for the missing person to look for, it's pretty quiet."

"The Mayor came to see you too. Wants an update on the search for Sidney."

"Great, just what I need," Emma said, going into her office with Henry following.

"I'm gonna run across to the market while you're here, we need more coffee and some filters, anything else?" Ruby asked.

"No, and thanks," she told her friend.

"I wish I had a clue where Sidney was, or why he was missing," Emma said as she slid into her chair. "Nottingham's not talking."

"Of course not, he's afraid to," Henry said with a shrug. "He's not a villain, just an ordinary bad guy. This is between Regina and Mr. Gold. You should go ask for his help."

"Who, Gold? No, I don't think he had anything to do with it."

"Of course he didn't. But he might know where Mom had Nottingham stash him. After all, no one knows more about the real estate in this town than him."

"That makes sense, but when did you become a fan of his, kiddo? Thought you didn't trust him? What's going on?"

"That was before he was in on Operation Cobra, before I knew who he was. I don't trust him exactly, but..."

"Hey Emma, look who I found. He has some ideas about where to find Sidney, and he wants to help," Ruby said as she walked back in.

"We'll discuss this later," Emma warned. "Hey August."

 

"It's the sleeping curse," Jefferson said. Gold had been sorting some papers when the call came. "She had my proper hat, not these mostly useless replicas I've been trying with."

"How did she manage to get..." he started to ask as he closed the door to his office. Belle was still sleeping peacefully, but it wouldn't do for her to hear any part of this conversation.

"It burned up the last of her magic, even so there was just enough for me to pull the apple through."

"So, since she can't get rid of the Princess, she is going to try to curse her," he said mostly to himself. "We can't let that happen. Jefferson, I know you have to be mostly out of this, but I need you to keep an eye on that office. I need to know if Regina goes anywhere near it. Our good Sheriff is too smart to take food from Regina, not after the little cider incident when she first came to town. Still, we have to be very careful and the time table has to be speeded up. We are running out of time." When he rang off he instantly dialed another number. "Booth, whatever you are going to do, you had best do it, **now**."

 

Emma Swan was angry, angrier than she could remember being in a very long time. She'd spent an hour and a half with August Booth but rather than new ideas on where Sidney might be, she'd gotten another trip to the land of makebelieve, by way of her own history. Maybe he was the boy that found her, maybe he wasn't, but none of that mattered. This fairy tale nonsense couldn't be true, and it needed to stop. It was about time she talked to someone about it. There had to be a reason that Gold was letting Henry think he'd bought into it, and she was going to put a stop to it, right now, starting with him.

 

Belle woke disoriented and a bit dizzy. She was alone, which was not how she'd been when she laid down. Rising carefully from the bed, she made her way towards the door. Things kept flashing in her mind, bits and pieces, all distorted and running together. But there was something, a name that was just out of her reach, and she knew that if she could remember that it would be the key. She needed to find him, now.

In the hall, she could hear voices, a confrontation of some sort that had to be coming from the front hall, one voice familiar, the other not. Belle knew she should stay hidden but she just couldn't, as if something was driving her. She started down carefully, holding the railing. The voices became clearer as she neared the bottom of the staircase.

"I don't know what game you think you are playing, Gold, but you'll..."

"I'll what, dearie?" he asked sharply.

'Dearie' Suddenly, a thousand images flooded her mind, a voice, the same and yet not... the world wobbled. He must have heard her, because he turned and looked at her, almost at the landing.

"Rumplestiltskin," she cried out. Then the world went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, yes I know. You all hate me. I'm sorry, well, not really but...So now the board is set and the last few moves of the game can begin. I was really torn about using the apple, but unfortunately, I need it. Thank you all for reading, and all the usual things. Please, please please comment, as this was a scary bit to write and I hope I did it justice.


	69. Queen's Gambit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gold loses patience with Emma. He and Belle rebond, and Regina makes her move. There is fluff, I do not apologise.

"Belle," he shouted, running towards the fallen woman. Emma stepped in and followed, surprised by his speed.

"I'll call 911," she said, pulling out her phone.

"No,' he said sharply, lifting her into his arms, resisting Emma's attempt to take her from him.

"Are you sure you should be moving her?" the Sheriff asked. He carried her into the living room, his bad leg clearly making it difficult. "She should get checked out at least. I can take her to the hospital," she offered.

"No hospitals. If you must, call Dr. Whale, his number is in the kitchen. Tell him I am calling in my favour." Emma started towards the kitchen, her phone in her hand. "And Sheriff, tell him that he is to tell no one."

Emma hurried off to make the phone call. On the settee, Belle began to stir. "Belle? Belle, open your eyes, love."

"Rumplestiltskin," she said, her eyes opening.

"Belle, you..."

"I remember," she said. He lowered his head. It was everything he'd wanted and everything he'd feared. "I remember that I love you," she whispered, reaching for him.

His head came up and his eyes met hers. "And I love you," he said.

Emma came back into the room. Immediately Belle moved closer to him. "It's okay, sweetheart. This is Sheriff Swan. Sheriff, this is Belle."

"Dr. Whale is on his way," she told him. Suddenly she was feeling like she had stepped into a very intimate moment.

"A doctor?" Belle said, her voice quivering just a little.

"It will be all right, Belle. Dr. Whale is just going to make sure you didn't hurt yourself. You will be safe, sweetheart, no matter what. Now, I need to speak to the sheriff for a moment. You stay here, all right? I'll only be a moment."

Unsure what to do with herself, Emma had retrieved his cane and handed it to him without a word. Levering himself up, he drew the sheriff into the front hall.

"Okay, Gold, who is that, and what the hell is going on?" she said urgently, trying to keep her voice down.

"You know what is going on, Sheriff, perhaps it is time you just opened your eyes and looked," he growled. He was out of patience with her reticence.

"Look at what? All I see is you and Regina trying to tear this town apart in some kind of feud, a strange woman in your house, and my son, who believes in fairy tales."

"That is because your son is much smarter than you are. But until you believe the truth, there is little I can do for you."

"You want me to believe in all this." Emma gestured wildly. "She called you Rumplestiltskin, for God's sake," she said, her voice squeaking in her attempt to keep it down. "It's just more of this fairy tale crap."

"Perhaps you should start paying attention then."

"You want me to believe that you are Rumplestiltskin?"

"At your service," he said with a bow and a flourish of his hand.

"Short, magical imp, steals babies?"

"Well, I hardly see the need to insult my height. And I don't steal children, though I have made deals for them in the past, where the circumstance required. However..."

"Henry," she said as something clicked in her mind. "You got Henry for Regina."

"I did," he agreed.

"Okay, so even saying I believed you and all this, who is she?" Emma asked.

"That is Belle, and she is my True Love. And you can tell no one she is here."

"What do you mean?"

"Regina had Belle locked up, in both worlds actually. She told me that my love was dead. There is a secret ward under the hospital. Your friend Booth found her and released her, hoping to garner my favour."

"I can't...this is all too much. Why me, and why Henry?"

"You, because you are the Savior, the one destined to break the curse. Henry is the only one who can see the changes, or rather the lack of changes, because he is a part of your bloodline, but was born in this world. He's outside of the curse."

"So what is it I'm supposed to do? How am I supposed to break this curse?"

"Well, that is the question, isn't it? But I might be able to help with that. I have something you need to do for me."

"That favour I owe you?"

"Not exactly. Think of it as a way to help Henry. We both get something out of it. Who knows, it might even break the curse."

"What do you want?" she asked angrily.

"Meet me at my shop tonight, 10 pm. I need you to retrieve something from an old...friend. And now, if you will excuse me," he said, his eyes softening as he glanced back at the room where the woman, Belle, waited. She had never seen him look that way, ever. Emma walked out of the house more confused than ever. As she drove away, she saw the Doctor's car pull up.

Mr. Gold met him at the door. "Dr. Whale, come in," he said.

"Where is the patient?" he asked. "The sheriff was not very forthcoming, just said there had been an accident."

"She fell on the stairs," Gold said, ushering him into the living room. "Belle, this is the doctor, he's going to look you over."

"Hello, I'm Dr. Whale," he said, putting on his most charming manner before the beautiful woman. Belle recoiled from him, looking towards Gold.

"It's alright, Belle, the doctor is not going to hurt you," he told her gently, as he sat next to her.

Whale was surprised. He'd never heard that tone of voice from Gold, nor had he ever expected to. The pawnbroker was known to be a hard man. Then he looked at the doctor. Victor Whale liked to think of himself as charming, and having a way with the ladies, but in that moment he knew two things for certain: that his charm would be not only unappreciated but down right unwelcomed, and that it could end painfully, if not fatally, for him to try.

"So," he said, his professional mask firmly in place. Formal, that was the way. "What happened? Mr. Gold said you fell."

"I've had a headache," Belle told him. "I took a nap, trying to get it to go away. When I woke, I was a little dizzy. I tripped on the stairs. It's nothing, really."

"Did you lose consciousness?" the doctor asked, pulling a light out of his pocket and shining it into her eyes.

"Just for a second, maybe."

Dr. Whale examined her quickly and efficiently. He asked a list of questions and pronounced her mostly healthy. "Make sure you rest, get plenty of fluids, and if your headache comes back or gets worse, call me," he said before Gold showed him the door.

"Consider your debt repaid," Gold told him. "But you will tell no one about any of this, not about her, not about anything."

"And what if someone asked what I was doing here?" Whale asked. "You know what the grapevine is here."

"You can tell them that I fell and you came to check my leg," he told the doctor. "If I hear anything..." his voice dropped low with menace. Whale nodded and left quickly. He knew better than to cross Gold.

 

"Rumple, what happened?" Belle asked, as he returned to her side. "The curse?"

"The curse was cast, but it's failing, and with a little more effort, it will break apart completely. Don't worry, Belle, I'll keep you safe," he told her, sitting beside her on the settee. She reached out and he could not help but gather her into his arms, amazed that she was so willing. She loved him, still, in spite of everything.

"You have a story to tell me," she reminded him, snuggling close.

"I do," he agreed.

An hour later, they were both talked out, still holding one another before the fire. Belle was running a hand through his hair, and he was certain that were it possible, he would purr like a cat. "Is this what you looked like...before? I didn't really get a good look when..."

"Unfortunately," he said. "I hope that you aren't disappointed." He admitted, if only to himself, that he feared the answer.

"I've always found you quite handsome," Belle said. "That hasn't changed. You are still the man I love."

"Belle," he said, but she pulled him down for a kiss, and he was lost. She welcomed him, lips parted, and he found himself giving way. He took his time, slowly exploring her, memorising the feel, the taste of her. They broke apart only when the need to breathe became urgent. Belle was flushed and her blue eyes were wide with desire. He had never thought he would see that, save in his dreams. But now was most certainly not the time, regardless of how he ached for it. "Love," he whispered.

"I have my memory back," she reminded him.

"You do, and you still, the Gods only know why, are willing to saddle yourself with an old monster." He put a finger to her lips to silence her for the moment. "But right now is not the time. We are at a tipping point. The curse hangs by a thread, and I have work to do."

"You need to bring magic back here," she said.

"I have to. I need to find Bae, and..."

This time she did interrupt him. "I understand why you have to do it. I just wish there was a way to keep it from overtaking you. I know you need your magic, but I want you to be free of your curse. Still I will help you."

"You do help, you remind me of the man I was, you keep the darkness at bay. Perhaps, after we find Bae, I can look for a way to sever myself, and my magic, from the curse. I know that I will do everything I can to be worthy of your faith in me, and your love." Belle's only response was to kiss him, drawing closer 'til she was practically sitting in his lap. "Does this mean...will we not be able to kiss after?" she asked, concerned.

"No, sweetheart. Magic will always be weaker here, even mine. While True Love's Kiss is the most powerful of magic, the curse is old, strong, and most importantly, does not want to be broken, regardless of how I feel about it. I can resist enough to hold on to it for now at least. I don't think I would be capable of denying a kiss from you, not anymore." Belle blushed. "But tonight, I have to go out to help push the next part of the plan along. I doubt after this Emma will be able to refuse to believe any longer."

"I'm coming with you," Belle said, in her most intractable voice.

"Belle, there is still danger, you can't..."

"And I am safer with you. I'll wrap a scarf around my head, and wear that old coat. I can duck down in the car, the way I did the night you found me," she told him. "We will finish this together. You aren't alone anymore and it's time and past that you accept that. You promised me forever. I plan to hold you to that."

 

Ruby was rushing back to the Sheriff's office. Emma had given her a break to go home and rest so that she could be at the station later. "I just don't like leaving him alone. Besides, I've got some leads I need to pursue," she'd told her.

Ruby had agreed. She was naturally nocturnal anyway, plus the baby was at the sitter, which meant she'd actually gotten a nap. Unfortunately, she'd slept longer than she meant to. Perhaps that was why she didn't see the Mayor when she bumped into her, knocking both of their bags to the ground and spilling the contents.

"I'm sorry," she said as she knelt and started to gather things up.

"Better watch where you are going," Mayor Mills said, trying to gather her own things. Ruby caught a lipstick as it escaped the other woman and rolled away. She handed it back as Regina handed her the tupperware container that had landed at her feet. "Dinner?"

"Nah, just bringing a late night snack for Emma, Sheriff Swan. I've got plenty."

"Best be careful. She has to be in good shape. I wouldn't want her to fail her next physical. It's a requirement of the job," the woman said with what might have been a smile, possibly, if creepy smiles counted.

"Oh, yeah, sure," Ruby said, throwing the paperback into her bag and hurrying off. It might be her, but she thought the mayor was getting weirder. With that thought, she headed off down the street towards the sheriff's station.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can put away the torches and the pitchforks. Enjoy the fluff, before things get difficult. Thank you all for the lovely comments, please keep them up. You know I love my readers.


	70. King's Knight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some answers, and some fluff, and another question.

They arrived at the back of Gold's pawnshop early. Rumplestiltskin had said he had a few preparations to make, which was entirely true but not the entire truth. He and Belle had spent most of the evening on the settee by the fire, unwilling to let each other go, and his well honed restraint and self control had taken a battering.

 

No matter how much he tried to tell himself that it was wrong, that he should let her go, drive her away before he corrupted her, he couldn't. He'd hurt her once before, and he wouldn't do it again. _'All this love,'_ the voice in the back of his head tittered. _'What about simple lust? She's your, just...'_ He shut the voice off, slamming the mental door on it. "Belle, we should," he said firmly, when the effort of preserving her modesty was becoming almost impossible. Rumplestiltskin shifted his weight a little, moving the pressure to his bad leg in the hopes that the pain would take his mind off his lap full of Belle.

"We should eat before we go, I'll heat some soup, and there is bread and pie," she said, but she didn't move immediately.

Rumplestiltskin leaned down and kissed the top of her head, narrowly avoiding her lips as she tried to instigate another round of kissing that was part of why they were still on the settee. Well, she'd not been the only instigator, if he was honest. "Are you trying to seduce me?" he asked with a wicked smile.

"That depends, is it working?" Belle asked.

"Oh, sweetheart, you have no idea. But..."

"I know, first we break the curse, then..." she slipped out of his arms. "But for now, I'll get dinner," she said, walking towards the kitchen.

Had her hips always swayed so invitingly? he wondered before dragging himself off the couch. A cold shower, that's what he needed. _'Bloody Savior had better break the curse tonight,'_ he thought, heading for the stairs.

Now they were preparing for the next act. He got out of the car and unlocked the shop, checking the street before his well bundled darling slipped from the car and inside. His second attempt at getting her to remain home had failed just as badly as his first, and he did feel better having her with him. Once inside, he turned on the lights in the back room and went to unlock the front door. In the back, Belle removed the scarf and an old coat of his. He'd rejected the one she'd worn before. "It's so ugly, it had to be deliberate. Regina would remember," he told her.

"Now what's next?" she asked.

"Now, we get what Miss Swan needs to complete her task," he said, pulling out a large, flat case, covered with dust, and carried it to the front counter, directing her towards the dusting cloths.

Emma Swan wasn't certian until the last moment that she was going to meet Gold, but in the end, she had too many questions and not enough answers. She'd left Ruby leafing through a magazine in her office, while Keith listened to some sports game on an old radio she'd found in a bottom drawer. At least it kept him busy.

The sign was turned to 'closed' but the handle turned and she went inside. Gold was standing behind the counter, polishing what looked like an electric guitar case. "Okay, Gold, what's this task of your's? Let's get this over with." Belle came out of the back room and stood next to him.

"What I need is for you to retrieve something for me, a little something I put by, just in case."

"Well, then let's hurry this up. I should be out there trying to find Sidney before Regina..."

"Oh, I'd not worry about Sidney. He's perfectly safe in my cabin. Dove is looking after him," he said.

"God Dammit, Gold, you could've told me that before I arrested you, not to mention being stuck with Nottingham in my jail."

"Actually, I couldn't. You see, when you arrested me, I didn't have him, Regina did. She is the one that got Nottingham to kidnap him and tried to implicate me. She wanted me in a position to deal with her."

"Why would she do that?" Emma asked. She was starting to lose patience with all this.

"Because she really is the Evil Queen. Her control over Mr. Glass was slipping, thanks to his fear of me, and she thought was going to leave town. No one can leave Storybrooke, you should know that by now, Miss Swan. They crash, or the car stops working, or they just disappear, probably to that secret ward that I told you about. By the way, you will see that it's emptied when the curse breaks."

"Sure, but why do you care?"

"I don't, but I know what it is to be locked away, and I know what it is to lose someone that way," he said darkly. "But as I was saying, it's not possible to leave, not if you belong here. But the curse has been weakening ever since you arrived, with a little help, of course. People are starting to ask questions that they never asked before. Regina had to stop him, not that he ever truly intended to leave. I simply persuaded Nottingham to tell me where he was."

"Why didn't he tell me?" she asked.

"Probably because he knows that jail is the safest place for him. He'll not betray Regina, because he knows something will happen to him, just like something happened to Graham."

"Who's Graham?" Belle asked, speaking for the first time.

"You would know him as the Queen's Huntsman, if you knew him at all," he told her.

"He's dead?" she asked, her face stricken. "He was as kind to me as he could be when she had me locked away in the Winter Palace," Belle explained. Gold's arm immediately went around her for comfort.

"Okay," Emma interrupted. She didn't want to talk or even think about that right now. "So, Sidney is safe and now you want me to break this curse. What's the job that you think will convince me, some kind of magic?"

"The greatest magic of all, Miss Swan. True Love. It has the power to break any curse. I managed to bottle some, a potion made from a single strand of hair from each of your parents. So powerful that when I created the curse, I put just one drop on the parchment, a safety valve if you will."

"That's why I am the Savior? But I thought that Regina..."

"Regina cast the curse, yes. But I created it," he said, his face suddenly closing off like the shutting of a door.

But Emma was sick of half truths and almost answers. "Why would you do that?"

"My reasons are my own," he said coldly.

Belle rested a hand on his chest. "Rumple..." she said gently. "Emma, Regina told him I was dead." That was enough.

"Suffice it to say that, while there were many reasons, there was nothing to hold me in that world, no happy ending." It was a half answer at best, and they all knew it, but it was enough.

"So, this potion, what does..."

"I didn't use all of it. I put some by for a rainy day. Now, the rain has come and I have need of it, and you need something to help you believe."

"So where is it?" Emma asked.

"Exactly where your father left it twenty-nine years ago. In the belly of the beast," he said, his free hand fluttering just a little. Belle smiled indulgently. Gold pulled out a pocket watch and checked the time. "We should be going, but you are going to need something first..."

"What's that?" she asked. ' _Not fairy dust and imagination, I hope,'_ she thought to herself.

He unfastened the clips and opened the case with a flourish. "Why, your father's sword, of course."

From the shadows of a doorway across the street, the man watched the front of Gold's shop. Something was happening, though he couldn't put his finger on it, but he knew that it had to do with Mr. Gold. In some part of his mind, he kept telling himself that this was madness, but he couldn't seem to get it out of his thoughts. He watched as three people came out of the shop. One was Gold, his dark head, and his cane making him stand out. With him was the Sheriff, Emma Swan, carrying something over her shoulder like an umbrella, though he couldn't quite identify it. The third he couldn't identify at all. Short, wearing an overlarge coat and a scarf wrapped tightly around the head. He thought it might be a woman, but even that would be a guess.

They made their way across the street toward the clock tower and his hiding place. He sunk deeper into the shadows, but they came no closer. Instead, Gold pulled out a large keyring and unlocked the door to the old library. The pawnbroker ushered them in, and then looked around, as if sensing eyes on him. Then he too disappeared inside.

The man tried to convince himself to go home, but he just couldn't. The apartment was cold and empty. Something was missing from his life and he wasn't certain what it was. Until yesterday, he'd not even been aware that he was missing anything. Now...He settled back into the opening. Just a little while longer, he told himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, we are getting towards the end. Thanks for the lovely comments, keep them coming. To quote the show, 'it's working'. Thank you all for reading, and of course to my sister BardicRaven who not only Betas but is the queen of the torch and pitchfork brigade. She keeps me on task. Enjoy.
> 
>  
> 
> Question for those playing along at home, Who is it that's watching them? A hint, it's not Jefferson.


	71. Things found in the dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where they went, and what they found there.

"What is this?" Belle asked as they walked through.

"Well, it should be the Storybrooke Public Library, but while Regina gave the town all the things that a small town should have, she neglected to make anyone the librarian. Technically, I own it, so you can have it if you like."

"Giving me another library, and this time I didn't even have to save an outlaw to get it," Belle said with a gentle smile.

"Not sure you can..." Emma started to say, but Gold turned toward her with that almost smile and she subsided. She could feel...something and it was making her edgy. Besides, what did she know about the rules that applied to, well, whatever it was. At worst, even if they were all insane, Gold was pretty much law unto himself. Emma also wasn't sure she wanted to know about the outlaw. The way the couple, (and they were most definitely a couple) were together made her slightly uncomfortable. It reminded her of things she wished she could forget. Besides, she knew the saying about there being someone for everyone, but Gold?

The man himself led them through to the back, past the shelves and the office, all covered in a thick layer of dust. "Could definitely do with your dusters here, sweetheart," he said.

Back in the far corner was a large, old elevator. "This is it," he said with a flourish and a slight bow.

"So what? I go down the elevator and face what, exactly? You haven't even told me what I'm meant to do. Just what is down there?"

"If I told you, you wouldn't believe me," Gold said. "You wish proof, well your answers lie below."

"Okay," Emma said and moved towards the elevator. "What, not coming with me? Not afraid I'll get lost?"

"It's a quest. Quests are meant to be accomplished alone."

"Rumple," Belle said, disapproval clear in her voice. "You can't let her go alone. What if she freezes? This is too important. We should all go."

"No," he said sharply. "Belle, there is no chance that I'll let..."

"No one decides my fate but me," she reminded him. He knew that look.

"Be reasonable, love, please. Someone needs to stay up here in case something happens. I don't trust Regina, and I know she has a set of keys." He shook his head. The lady had a point. There was no way to prepare Emma for what lay below. Maleficent was an experience, but if she froze...But there was no power in any realm that would make him let Belle anywhere near his old adversary. "I will accompany Miss Swan," he said finally. "But only if you remain here."

"Gold..." Emma said.

"Oh, don't worry, dearie, I'll not interfere. I'm only there to iinsure that nothing goes wrong. Belle," he said, turning to his love. He reached into his pocket and retrieved his mobile phone. After queuing up Jefferson's number, he handed it to her. "If anyone comes in, hide and dial this number. You can tell Jefferson where we've gone. He'll understand."

"Jefferson, the realm hopper?" Belle asked.

Gold nodded.

"He'll understand?" Emma asked. "I'm not even certain I understand. Exactly how many people know...believe, whatever?"

"Jefferson is a special case, I'm afraid. His mental state is precarious at best, thanks to Regina. Beyond him? Myself, Belle, August, and Regina of course, that I am certain of. Graham remembered, in the end. I suspect others are starting to. But that is not a matter for the moment. After you, Miss Swan," he said. Emma stepped cautiously into the elevator, and after kissing Belle, Gold joined her.

 

"So, if you're Rumplestiltskin, and I'm not conceding the point, then who is she?" Emma asked, more to stave off a case of nerves than anything.

"Why, I thought that was obvious. She's Belle, the beauty to my beast."

"Beauty and the Beast? But..."

"Oh, I assure you, dearie, I've been called much worse," Gold said, giving her a half smile as the elevator shuddered to a stop in what was clearly not the basement.

"Where are we? Looks like somewhere near the mines, but those are outside the town."

"I'd not be so sure of that. There are tunnels and caves that run under much of the town, at least everything that is far enough inland from the harbour." Then she heard it, something between a growl and a roar. Emma started down the tunnel before them, drawing her gun in reflex.

"Ah, I see she's at home to visitors."

 

Upstairs, Belle was torn between worrying about what was happening below and jumping at every noise, wondering if it was Regina, coming for them, coming for her. After several minutes, she crept forward towards a desk. There was a pile of books waiting to be put away sitting on it. The entire place had the air of somewhere abandoned in the middle, as if everyone had just stopped and gotten up from what they were doing, and never came back.

 

"A dragon?" Emma exclaimed as they ducked back into the cave after her first look. "You want me to fight a fucking dragon?" she cried. She was blinking rapidly and Rumplestiltskin realised the wisdom in Belle's suggestion.

"Please, Miss Swan, calm yourself. First, she has excellent hearing and second, the only hysteria cure I have at present would be a slap and despite my reputation, I prefer not to strike a woman."

His smooth, even tone calmed her somewhat, but she was still reeling. It was hard to deny all of the rest, Evil Queens, Dwarves, and whatever the hell else, when there was a dragon not a hundred yards away. A real dragon, not animatronic or CGI. Emma examined her options. This was either the most elaborate practical joke in history, she'd finally gone nuts, or she had to believe. She hated it when Gold was right, but if he had told her, the Sheriff knew she never would have believed him. "Got any suggestions? Obviously this is my first Dragon."

"I'm a sorcerer, not a dragon slayer, that is what we have heroes for." He could feel the power of the curse tremble as her belief took hold. So very close, he could almost taste it. There was another roar from the cavern. "I think she knows we are here. Best I stay put. She and I didn't part on the best of terms."

"Maybe I could use you as bait," Emma said, only half joking. "Just tell me something good."

"She has no magic in this form...or in this world for that matter?"

"Not much, but I'll take it," she said, before creeping towards the large cavern, pistol and sword (and what the hell was she supposed to do with a sword), drawn.

 

Henry Mills looked out of his bedroom window. Something was happening, he could feel it. Emma was close to believing, really believing, and then everything was going to change. Unable to sleep and unwilling to just sit around and miss the final act, he got up and dressed.

It was far from Henry's first late night sneak out. He took a bunch of clothes from his hamper and stuffed his pajamas with them. Then he arranged them in the bed. It wouldn't survive a close examination, he decided, but from the door it was good enough. He grabbed his backpack and slipped carefully out the window and down the trellis.

From the outside, he could see the shadow of his mother, as she paced the floor of her office. She could feel it too, he knew it. Probably everyone in town could.

 

In his room at Granny's, David Nolan woke from a dream, something about dragons, and curses, and a cackling gold-green imp. He wasn't certain what it all meant, but he knew he needed to see Mary-Margaret, right now. He got out of the bed and reached for his clothes.

 

From his perch in the mansion on the hill, Jefferson watched and waited. He could see everything from there. He'd seen Rumplestiltskin and the Swan Princess go into the library with another figure that could only be the Beast's Beauty. He was glad for his friend, but also he knew what was coming. He could taste it, that edge of bitterness, the smell of darkness, the electric tingle along his skin that made the hair stand on edge. The very air seemed to hum with it. He'd also seen the figure following them, possibly the sad Maurice...At the edge of his telescopic vision, he could see Henry Mills slipping onto Main Street. He made a note to tell Rumplestiltskin when he'd finished with...something. Something was happening, he felt the world shift underneath him and only hoped that Rumplestiltskin was successful as he felt his hold on reality slip away.

He looked around as the colours danced, and he dreamed of the things he would show Gracie, someday. Someday when he escaped back to her. So many worlds, which one was he in now, Jefferson wondered. At least his head was still attached, he'd checked. He should find his hat, that was what he needed and maybe tea, Alice had always loved her tea so....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for all the lovely comments and for enjoying this story, which is much longer than I ever planned. Please keep it up, we are so close to finish, and the comments keep me going. 
> 
> Also, those who guessed Moe French, good eye. 
> 
> Next, what happened with that apple, and what happens next.


	72. Check

"Henry, what are you doing here?" Ruby asked as she saw the young man enter the station. It was quiet, more or less, Keith had fallen asleep, and was busy snoring like a badly tuned engine, and the phone had been silent.

"I came to see Emma, Operation Cobra business. She's doing something, I know it."

"Yeah, checking a lead on Sidney. You need to go home. Your mom is going to kill me, or fire me, if she finds you here, both of them," Ruby told him.

"Don't worry, I'll say it was all me. Besides, you wouldn't want me walking home in the dark alone, would you?" he asked with that smile that said he knew he had her.

"All right, but only because I don't want you walking home in the dark alone. But when Emma gets back, she's gonna take you home, or have me do it. You know that, right?"

"Yeah, I know. Man, does he always snore like that?" he asked.

"As far as I know. Come into the office. Want some cocoa? I don't have the stuff to make it as well as I could at Granny's, but I think it'll still be good."

"Sure thing, Ruby," he said and went to sit down in the office.

 

The sound of the elevator startled Belle and she let out a muffled squeak. Of course, Rumple had told her what was waiting down below, and she was certain she couldn't get into the elevator, so that must be good, she hoped. It seemed forever that the old machinery clinked and groaned. Finally the cage stopped and the doors opened. Emma Swan was leaning on Rumple a little. Her cheek had a gash in it, and she limped a little when she stepped out. Rumple's jacket was torn, there was dirt smeared on one side of his face, and he seemed to be leaning a little heavier on his cane, but he was alive and safe and she flew straight into his arms.

"Rumple," she cried.

"Easy, love. I'm here, and," he said, taking a golden object from beneath his arm.

"You got it," Belle said. "Your leg?"

"I fell," he said, dismissively, looking down at himself with distaste.

"You saved my life," Emma said. She still wasn't certain what to make of him, less now.

"It was necessary, nothing more," he said.

"Well, Gold, you got what you wanted. I believe. That's what I needed to do, isn't it? Now what? Why didn't it work, I'm assuming it didn't, right?" He nodded. "How do I break the curse then?"

Rumplestiltskin considered the question carefully. He had what he needed. The question was, what would happen if he brought back magic with the curse in its current precarious state. Magic in this world was, at the moment, unpredictable at best. It was all in the timing, he decided. But that wasn't the answer she needed. "You believe on an intellectual level, certainly. But I'm not sure that you can feel it. Magic is about emotions, perhaps..." he thought for a moment. A strong magical item possibly. "Belle, where is Henry's book?" he asked. More than anything, that book had been a catalyst for change.

"On the end table in the living room, why?

"I think that is the piece we are missing. I should have asked you to bring it. As it is, we'll have to go get it. Belle..."

"I don't think so, Gold," Emma said. She was leaning on her father's sword, but she looked determined. "It's not that I don't trust you, but..."

"But you don't trust me," he finished. "You would hold Belle as hostage to my good behavior?" His voice had dropped considerably, and his eyes gotten darker.

"Stop it, both of you," Belle said, irritably. She'd had enough. "Rumple, give me the egg." She held out her hands and he released his prize only slightly reluctantly. "Emma, I will go with you, while Rumple gets the book. We can meet at the Sheriff's office."

Rumplestiltskin didn't like the idea. He didn't want either Belle or the egg out of his sight. However, he didn't see a way around it, not with his beloved taking Miss Swan's side. "You will keep her safe?" he asked, looking the sheriff in the eyes with disconcerting intensity. "Regina..."

"I've got a sword and a gun, and I just defeated a dragon. I'm pretty sure I can handle one small town mayor, no matter how big a bitch. Besides, she may be the Evil Queen back where you come from, but here, I'm still the sheriff."

Gold nodded, not particularly happy, but the faster they finished this the better. "Don't underestimate her," he said. "And don't let her anywhere near Belle. You have the advantage as long as the curse holds. She has no magic left. Belle..."

"Behind Emma, yes. Go, Rumple, the sooner you leave, the sooner you return," she said, pressing a quick kiss to his lips. Rumplestiltskin left quickly, hurrying towards his shop and the waiting car.

In his shadowy hiding place, Moe French watched Gold hurry across the empty street, surprisingly fast for a man who needed a cane. He was wondering whether to follow, when he saw the big, black Cadillac pull out at speed. Before he could make any other decisions, the library door opened again, and the sheriff emerged, looking around cautiously, before gesturing to the other. This close, he could tell it was a woman, carrying something large and shiny. He ducked deeper into the shadows as they hurried past.

"This is the most I've been out," the woman said as she passed. "Since my escape, I've been hiding in the house, afraid to even look out the windows." The voice was familiar, though he couldn't place it. Images flashed behind his eyes. Blue eyes, the voice, laughing. "Daddy, really, it's a wonderful book, and much more fun than..."

Moe closed his eyes and tried to make it all go away, or at least to make sense of it. Maybe he was losing his mind, perhaps it was a long term effect of the beating Gold had given him, delayed head trauma or something. But he couldn't shake the feeling. He knew that girl, she and Gold, they had the answers to what was happening.

 

By the time he'd pulled himself together they had disappeared from view and he wondered if he hadn't blacked out for a bit. Where did they go? There were limited choices. Granny's diner was closed, but there was the bed and breakfast, the entrance that led to the loft apartment that the Sheriff shared with Mary Margaret, then there was the sheriff's office itself. He must have been longer than he thought, trying to clear his head.

As he started to leave his hiding place, he heard a car and saw the Cadillac pull back into its parking space. Gold emerged but instead of going into the shop, he crossed the street, a parcel under his arm, and hurried down the street. Moe nodded to himself. Follow Gold, that was it.

 

Something was happening, Regina could feel it, the magic pulling tighter around them, like a pulley rope, and like a rope, strands were starting to snap faster than she could counter. Now, something big. Emma Swan had to be close to believing. Still, it wouldn't get any further, she reassured herself. Soon enough, she would sit down for a cup of coffee, and a late night snack, conveniently provided by her efficient assistant, Ruby, and baked by one of the wolf girl's many girlfriends, probably that insipid Cinderella. Even if they figured out what it was, and where it came from, there would be no way to track it back to her. If she was really lucky, Swan would wait 'til Ruby had left.

Perhaps she would slip in and reclaim the rest. After all, you never knew when a sleeping curse would come in handy. Theoretically, it could even kill her. If she was even more fortunate, the sheriff would share it with Nottingham, the man was a pig. If not, well, once she was out of the way, it wouldn't matter.

Still, at the moment, Regina found herself a bit edgy. She decided to check on Henry. He was her only true joy, and soon, he'd be hers completely. Oh, it would take some time for him to get over the loss. But of course, she would be there for him. Besides, with no Savior to break the curse, she had forever.

 

"Hey, Emma...Belle?" Ruby exclaimed loud enough to interrupt Nottingham's snoring, if only for the moment. "What are you doing here?"

"You know her?" Emma said at the same time.

"Hey Belle, where is Mr....er..." Henry started as he caught sight of them.

"I remember, Henry," Belle said to him with a gentle smile.

"Okay, what the hell are you doing here, kid?" Emma said, going for the easy part first. This was getting entirely too confusing, and she made her way to the office, and propped the sword in the corner next to the file cabinet behind her desk.

"It's all happening, now, can't you feel it? I couldn't miss it." Emma scratched her cheek and realised that it was crusted with blood.

"What happened to you?" Ruby said, noticing Emma's condition for the first time.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you. Everyone in my office, now. I need some answers, and some...are you making cocoa, Ruby?" she asked, taking in the mug for the first time.

"Yeah, I made some for Henry, you want?"

"Please."

"Sure. Belle?"

"I'm not really a cocoa drinker, but I suppose."

Ruby ducked out of the office towards what passed as a break room, really a closet with a refrigerator and coffee machine.

"Okay, kiddo, you know it's straight back home after your cocoa. Now, how do you know Belle?"

"Easy, I made a deal with Rumplestiltskin, well, Mr. Gold. The other day when he was in jail. He said he would tell me who he was in exchange for me taking my book over to his house to try and get Belle's memory back. See, when mom locked her up, she took away her old memories, but she didn't give her any to replace them with. What's with the gold egg?" he asked.

It took Emma a minute. She was getting her head around the horror of what had been done to Belle. It did explain Gold's anger. "Ah, umm, that's a heck of a story," she said.

"Does it have anything to do with that sword, or what happened to your face?" he asked. Emma just nodded, and reached into her desk for the first aid kit.

"Hold it for me for a moment," Belle said as she handed the egg to Henry so that she could take off her coat and scarf. The station was warm and she was getting uncomfortable.

"Is it magic?" Henry asked, awestruck.

"Not exactly," Belle said. "But what's inside it is."

Ruby rejoined them before she could say any more. "Good thing I was a waitress," she said, setting down the mugs on the desk.

"Okay, so how to you know Belle?" Emma asked. She was feeling like she had been the only one in town who hadn't been in on the secret, well, her and Regina.

Ruby shrugged. "Gold needed someone to shop for her. Can you see him buying women's underwear, in this town? That wouldn't be suspicious or anything. I went to see that she was okay when Gold was in jail too."

That man managed to get more done behind bars that most people did without, Emma thought. She shook her head, but before she could say more, the man himself limped in, a parcel under his arm. He took one look around the room, saw the party in her office and came to join them. If Emma Swan didn't know better, she would say he looked rushed, possibly even flustered, but that wasn't Gold. Henry hopped up to give him his chair.

"So wait a moment...You're the friend who was baking while stressed," Emma said, realisation striking. The timing couldn't be coincidence.

Belle blushed a little. "I might have gone a little overboard," she admitted.

"Yeah, in a good way," Henry said. "Hey Ruby, did you..."

"Sure did," she said, laughing. "Brought the last two muffins, but they're for Emma."

"Have one," Emma said. "Henry, as soon as you're done, Ruby's going to take you straight home."

"But Emma..."

"I'm serious, Henry. I need to sort this stuff out and I need to know you're...well, mostly safe. So what's this idea of yours, Gold?" She asked. She wasn't certain she could ever call him Rumplestiltskin with a straight face, and was also pretty sure that the only one that got to shorten it was Belle. He opened the parcel and removed Henry's book.

Behind them, Henry opened the Tupperware container and gave it a quick sniff. "Hmmm, apple," he said as he took a big bite.

"I didn't..." Belle said, confused.

"No one in town but...don't lad," Gold started, his cane rising and striking the muffin from the boy's hand. Their eyes met, and in an instant, he knew, Henry had known too.

"Now you'll have to bel..." Henry started, as he slumped to the floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry. I spend the first fifty chapters trying to figure a way out of poisoning Henry as the final push, but in the end I couldn't find a way that worked out quite right. Glad you are enjoying. Please continue to comment, they keep me going. I'm afraid we are in the last stretch. Thanks to everyone who is reading and of course, my sister, BardicRaven for the beta.


	73. Check Mate

"What the...call 911!" Emma shouted as she jumped up from the chair. Ruby joined her, checking his pulse.

"I'm afraid that they won't be able to help," Gold said. "No one in town bakes with apples save Regina."

"Why would Regina...and how?"

"At a guess, it was meant for you, though how she got it here, I don't know. I've had..."

"Where is my son?" Regina shouted as she flew into the outer room in a rage. In seconds she took in the entire scene, Henry on the floor with Ruby and Emma kneeling by him, Gold standing next to them. "What happened to him, what have you done?" she cried as fear trickled along her spine.

"I think you know the answer to that one, dearie," Gold said, turning.

Next to him was someone she'd hoped never to see again. But before she could say another word, Emma launched herself from the floor and grabbed Regina by the front of her very expensive coat. She pushed the mayor back against the office window hard enough to rattle the window. "What have you done?" she growled at the startled woman.

"I...why would you...he was with you..." Regina said, trying to ignore that feeling, the one that said it was all out in the open.

"I know," Emma said. "I know it's all true, I know who you are, and more importantly, I know who I am, now..."

"Well, you'd best tell her, or shall I take a guess?" Gold said from the doorway, looking cool and unruffled.

Ruby was still knelt down by the fallen boy, as if in shock, looking from one face to another, trying to figure out whether or not everyone had finally lost their minds.

"Sleeping curse," Regina said. "It was meant for you, it should have been you." she accused. "As long as you're here, Henry can never truly be mine, and there was always the danger that you would start to believe."

"Well, it wasn't me, and worse, Henry knew it. You'd better fix it, hadn't you? What do we have to do? There has to be some kind of... potion or spell or something."

"There's nothing. No magic, that was the last of it, and besides, magic here is unpredictable, it could..."

"You mean that..."

"Henry could die. I never..." Regina looked stricken, as if the enormity of what she had done was just sinking in.

"There has to be something, Gold, what about..." Emma said, turning to him.

"You don't need a potion or a spell, there is only one solution," he said.

  
"True Love's kiss," Regina said, realising where he was going. "But..."

"Ah, there are many kinds of True Love. That's something you never quite understood, and there is no love so pure or true as the love between a parent and a child." There was something in his tone, as if he understood. Belle stood and put a hand on his arm.

"I can do it, I am his mother," Regina said wrenching herself out of Emma's grip, but Gold stepped into her path.

"Not so fast, dearie. I'm afraid that there you are wrong. Henry is _her_ son," he said pointing to Emma. The sorcerer reached behind him and picked up the parcel, pulling Henry's book from inside and handing it to her. "You need to believe, completely, with your heart as well as your head."

As she took the book from him, Emma's head filled with images, half remembered faces, stories, as if all the things she'd been missing, all the questions and answers came together in one moment, like a puzzle that suddenly came together. Ruby moved aside, still unsure what was happening around her, and not sure she wanted to. know. Regina stepped closer, tears coursing down her cheeks, but Gold was still in her way. Emma knelt beside him. "I love you, Henry," she said and pressed a kiss to his forehead.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then his eyes flew open. "Mom," he said.

Rumplestiltskin reached for Belle's hand as he felt the final strand snap.

 

The effect was immediate, like a wave washing over the town. Suddenly it was as if everyone snapped out of sleep. In the loft facing Main Street, Snow White looked at her Prince Charming and smiled. "You found me," she said.

 

"I..." Ruby started, disoriented. "I have to find Granny," she said almost apologetically and hurried away, but no one particularly noticed.

"Henry," Regina said, relief and fear warring in her voice. But Emma gathered him closer to her, and the mayor knew that she had lost. "I didn't." But she could find no words to ask for his forgiveness, or even to explain. Her world was in ashes and she didn't know what to do. "This is your fault," she growled at Gold. "This is what it's been about, why you wouldn't help me. It's all about revenge isn't it? Revenge for your little..." She stepped forward, and Belle, true to her word, stepped back as Rumplestiltskin urged her behind him.

The masque was torn and despite his still human appearance, there was no doubt at all as to who and what he was. "I'd stop right there," he said coldly. "Or you'll not have to worry about Miss Swan, or custody, or anything else for that matter."

"You wouldn't," she retorted.

"Oh, I would, without even a thought," he said.

Belle, still clinging to his arm, leaned forward against him. "Rumple," she said, softly. It was only one word, but there was everything in that one word. He nodded.

"Fortunately for you, my lady is a better person than both of us. Know that it's only her word that prevents me. You live at her sufferance, and should she change her mind, I won't hesitate. Stay away from Belle, Regina. If anything happens to her, anything at all, there is no place in any realm that you can hide from me," he said and everyone in the room knew that he meant every word.

Regina looked at them, at the bridges she had burned, and the ruin that she had created. Unsure what to do, she turned and fled.

"Will you forgive her?" Belle asked Henry.

"I will, I guess. I mean, she's my mom too, and I love her, but not the darkness. But I need to figure some things out first," he said. "And so does she."

"You're a smart kid, you know that?" Emma said with a smile. She wasn't certain how she felt about him and Regina. She certainly didn't trust the other woman, but she also knew that was Henry's decision.

"The only way to combat the darkness is with love," Belle said. "I should know." Rumplestiltskin turned to Belle, and raised their intwined hands to his lips.

"And now, if you will excuse us," Gold said. "We have something we need to attend to." He helped Belle on with her coat, and she picked up the egg with one arm, the other hand entwined with his, they turned towards the door just as it opened.

"Belle," Maurice French stood in the doorway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I didn't make you wait too long. Thank you for all staying with me on this incredibly long journey. There are only a couple of posts left and comments are always welcomed and appreciated.
> 
> A note for those trying to find me on tumblr, apparently I somehow managed to misspell it. it's Rioghna7


	74. Magic is coming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The curse is broken, now what?

"Papa," Belle said.

Rumplestiltskin paused, one arm raised protectively in front of her, but she shook it off with a smile, and moved to hug her father.

"You're real, you're alive," the big man said. "We thought..."

"Thought what?" Rumplestiltskin said, eyeing the man carefully. Not that he would try to prevent her seeing her father if she wished, but he was cautious as always with Belle.

Maurice looked at him. "Rumplestiltskin," he said as the reality hit him. Of course it was, and his daughter still with him. The other man nodded. He was seeing him as he was, but he could also see the man that had beaten him half to death. He remembered the words, now, the anger. "I thought she was dead," the florist said, carefully.

"As did I."

"When you returned my van, you knew," Maurice said. There was accusation in his voice.

"I did," the sorcerer replied. "But you had no memory of her."

"Papa, don't blame Rumple. Regina captured me. She told him...she told him I was dead." Belle saw no need to tell her father how he had been used to torture Rumplestiltskin.

"It doesn't matter, my dear girl," he said reaching for her arm. "He has no hold on you here. Come home with me." Belle pulled away though, and backed towards where Rumplestiltskin stood, watching like a snake prepared to strike if necessary.

Emma Swan came to the door of the office. This wasn't a story she knew, but the animosity between the two men was no secret. She remember the 'she' that Gold had been screaming about and was unsurprised that Regina had lied, apparently to both of them. Still as protective as Gold was of Belle, the Sheriff thought she'd better be prepared.

"You don't understand, Rumple released me. I chose to return to him. I love him," she told him as she reached back for his hand.

"You...what?" the man said, his already florid complexion turning even darker. "How can you? He took you away, Belle, from your home and family. It has to be some kind of magic. You are nothing more than a..."

"I would tread carefully, Maurice," Gold said, the threat apparent in his tone.

"Rumple, he doesn't understand," she said softly. Maurice French gawped as the Dark One, the most feared...whatever he was, submitted to his daughter's request. Surely it wasn't possible. Belle had always been different, special, but this... He couldn't get his head around it, nor could he quite grasp the protective posture that Gold had assumed. "Papa, Rumplestiltskin is my True Love."

"Is that even possible?" the large man asked.

"Well, I was certainly a bit surprised by it," Gold said, just a hint of his old sarcastic self peaking out.

"Papa, we are all a little disoriented," she said. "Everything is fine. I'll come around to see you in a couple of days when everything is a little less chaotic." Belle went and gave him a hug and pressed a kiss to his florid cheek before returning to her anxious love's side. "I love you, Papa," she said.

"But where will you go?" he asked, still in shock.

"I'm going home, with Rumplestiltskin," she said, taking his arm. With a slight nod to Maurice, he led her out, leaving the gawping man behind them.

Not that it was over, not by a long shot, Rumplestiltskin knew that. Right now Maurice was still in shock from the breaking of the curse, and from finding out that Belle was still alive. He wasn't certain what, if anything, Regina had told the man, but just adjusting to her being alive was probably going to take some effort. The rest would probably be even more difficult. Still that was for later. The street was filled with people, families reuniting, people renewing friendships and greeting neighbours. Amidst the confusion, the two of them slipped away, back to the car.

The drive began in silence. Belle held the egg in her lap while Rumplestiltskin negotiated his way carefully through the streets full of confused people. "Taking the back way home," he growled under his breath.

"Why? I think it's rather sweet, people reuniting."

"Yes, Sweetheart, but most of those people are no more likely to be happy to see me with the curse broken than they were before. I'm afraid you won't be very popular because of your association with me. Certain you wish to saddle yourself with this old monster, even if it means being an outcast?"

"I was always considered odd," Belle said after a moment. She knew she had to reassure him. "I don't think I mind. I'd rather be an outcast with you than the center of society without you. Besides, I don't need friends who cannot accept the man I love. Haven't you figured out by now that I would be content to live in a cave in the forest, as long as I was with you?"

"Well," he replied, trying to keep the emotions from bubbling over and consuming him, not yet. "It's not a cave, but I do have a cabin out in the woods, at least once I evict a certain magic mirror that no longer needs to be in hiding."

"Do you think he will go back to her?" Belle asked.

He'd explained that afternoon about how he had made a deal with Sidney, taking advantage of his fear, in order to find out what Regina knew and also to separate her from her most loyal and useful ally. "She was able to get Nottingham to take him on the road before he got to the turn off for the cabin," he'd explained. "Once Nottingham was locked up, I merely had Dove take him back."

He considered the question carefully now. "Probably. He was a genie once, but he betrayed the man that gave him his freedom for love of her. Regina has always been able to play him."

"There is one thing I don't understand. With the curse broken, why are we all still here?" Belle asked.

"That is the nature of magic here. It would not have served me to get returned straight to the Enchanted Forest at any rate, not until I found Bae. The curse broke but there is no magic to transport us back, not yet. There is so little of it, and it's so very unpredictable. Even once I bring it back, it will take time, I think, to have enough to return us to our old realm. Do you want to go back?" Rumplestiltskin asked, casting a quick glance at her.

"Perhaps. After we have found your son, and I've seen more of this world, then I suppose. It doesn't much matter to me as long as you are there. Do you? Want to go home, I mean?"

"My home is wherever you are. Here I was given a large house and all the comforts wealth could grant, but it was never a home until I had you back. Belle..."

"Enough of that," she said, reaching to put a hand on his arm. He had apologised already and she had forgiven him. She'd forgiven him even before, when the Queen would torment her by showing her his pain, over and over again, to remind her of the hopelessness of her situation. "We are together now, and we have a lot of lost time to make up for."

"Yes, just as soon as we finish this one last thing," he told her. He pulled the big car off to the side of the small access road and stopped. Rumplestiltskin reached into the glove box and removed a torch, and they got out. The forest was dark, but there was a little bit of moonlight illuminating the path before them. "Come," he said. "It's not very far now."

Together they walked down the path. She still carried the egg. He'd said they could take the potion out, but Belle was cautious, and she wouldn't be responsible for dropping it, not so very close to the end, so it remained in its protective shell. Between his cane and the torch, they could not hold hands, but she stayed by his side, only stumbling occasionally on the uneven ground. Before them the well loomed, looking like something torn from another world and transplanted to that place, which, of course, it was, a small piece of a realm lost in this world to myth and fairy tale.

"Come on, Belle, almost there," he said as she stared at it for a moment. "The power to bring back that which is lost," he said softly. "I thought many times in the old world about trying to use the waters of Lake Nostos to bring you back to me, but they cannot returned the dead, not properly anyway. No magic can do that, and what it can do is worse. I wish I had risked it," he said, his voice soft with regret. Belle put her free hand on his arm, to take him out of those thoughts. "But now it will return magic to this world." He made his way carefully up onto the pedestal, and gave Belle a hand to stand beside him.

Rumplestiltskin leaned his cane against the side of the well, and opened the egg that Belle held for him. Nested inside, the potion glowed and danced with purple light. "It's beautiful," she exclaimed.

"As True Love should be. Of course, I could have saved time and grief if I'd known about us. Still, Snow White and Charming needed to be together, and I had to have something to deal with," he said with a half smile. "So I suppose it worked in the end." He raised the potion, and closed his eyes for a moment, before dropping it into the well. The response was almost immediate, purple smoke, much like she had seen frequently in the Dark Castle, began streaming from the well. A moment later, he pulled them both back and wrapped his arms around her, pressing her back to his front. "Magic is coming," he whispered in her ear. "And with it, Power. The power do find my son, the power to keep you safe."

"You don't need magic to keep me safe, all we need is one another," she said and turned to kiss him.

 

In Storybrooke, a strange wave of purple fog began to bear down on the town. Some people fled to shelter where they could, but others just stood and watched, unable to grasp yet another change. In her son's bedroom, Regina Mills looked up from where she had been crumpled in despair on Henry's bed. She could feel it suddenly, magic sweeping over them. The Evil Queen smiled. Perhaps all was not lost after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the second to the last part of this story. I'm afraid there are still some loose ends to clean up, but wih luck they will be sorted soon enough. Thank you, please leave comments, tell me what you liked, what you didn't. 
> 
> The question is...now what?


	75. Endings and New Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final chapter. The second half is almost entirely smut, so if you don't like, don't read the last part. This is the chapter for which the rating went up.

Power roared through Rumplestiltskin's body, raw and primal, the force of it almost knocking him from his feet. After almost three decades without it, he had forgotten what it felt like. His senses sharpened as he remembered what it was, as if he had been living without a limb or something, only to have it return at once. For a moment he thought he would lose consciousness, but slowly it receded and he became aware of Belle in his arms.

"Perhaps we should make certain..." she started.

He dragged her even closer to him, her body flush against his, feeling every inch, even through the fabric. Soon. He bent his head for a kiss, no longer gentle, but hungry, devouring. He revealed in the taste of her, pressing her back against the stone well. _So good_ , he thought.

"Rumple," she gasped as they pulled apart for breath.

 _All yours_ , the imp whispered. _What could be more right?_ But the voice was enough to remind him, to help him rein himself in. The curse held, not particularly easily, but it was enough. Not here, he would never dishonour Belle that way. Their first time together should be gentle and tender, and in a bed, not shoved up against cold stone like the monster he knew he was. "Home," he whispered hoarsely. Belle only nodded as the two of them hurried back down the path to the car.

 

Rumplestiltskin was grateful, actually. The drive allowed him to calm himself somewhat. Though it was entirely possible that he was breaking more than a few traffic regulations. They made it back home in what was probably record time. The moment the door closed behind them, though, Belle was back in his arms. The kiss seared right down to his blackened soul and he could feel the battle between the force of his curse and her love. At least that little tug of war assured that he would be the one in control and the only one involved. They separated long enough to shed their coats, and then he tugged her into the living room, sitting on the far side of the settee to put some distance between them for a moment. Talk first. "Belle, it's late, or early, perhaps..." he started. He had to give her the choice, even though he was fairly certain he knew the answer. Rumplestiltskin loved her, and he didn't want her to regret this, because there was no going back.

"No, no more waiting," she said, looking at him with determination.

"Belle, you've never been with anyone before, if we do this..."

She moved closer to him, pressing herself against his side. "We will be doing nothing that people don't already believe we have been doing anyway. Do you honestly think anyone thinks that my virtue..."

"I wouldn't..." he protested, but she put a finger to his lips.

"But most people don't know you, only gossip and folk tales. Besides, how different was our agreement than a marriage contract? Rumplestiltskin, do you desire me?" she asked, leaning closer to him.

"Of course I do, how could I not?"

"And I you. I have since before we came here, since we were in the Dark Castle together, even when I wasn't entirely certain what all was involved, I imagined you and I, on the rug before the fire, in the library, even..." she trailed off, tugging at his tie.

His lips came down on hers, all the need and longing he'd been trying to hold back in his kiss. With the return of his magic came his enhanced senses and at the moment they were full of Belle. He breathed deeply, the scent of her shampoo, different than the Enchanted Forest, deodorant, the smell of her skin and something else, arousal. He held onto it for just a moment. "Bed..." he growled hoarsely. Part of him was tempted to spend the magic to repair his ankle, so that he could carry her up the stairs, keep her close. But it was better this way. Progress was slow, as they stopped every few steps to kiss, not particularly willing to part. His jacket landed on the newel post as he cast it aside after she slid it from his shoulders and her shoes had been discarded beside the settee.

Still, by the time they had made it to the top of the stairs, he felt somewhat more in control of himself. This was Belle, his True Love, he reminded himself, and this had to be as special as he could possibly make it. Rumplestiltskin wanted to do it right, take his time, and he had time, now. She was before him, looking at him with such love and desire, a heady mix without any of the other things involved. He slid an arm around her waist, unwilling to allow them to be separated even for the short walk to the end of the hall.

Once inside the bedroom, Belle went straight to the bed, slightly rumpled from her nap, duvet folded at the foot. She was determined now. She'd wanted him for what seemed like forever. She could remember nights alone, wondering what his skin would feel like, his kisses. She had watched his beautiful hands as he spun or carefully mixed a potion and wondered what it would feel like to have him touch her. Now she was going to know, she was going to know him.

Belle turned on the side lamp and sat herself down on the side of the bed, biting her lip as she reached for him, but he evaded her hands easily, then toed off his shoes before joining her, laying her back on the bed. He bent to kiss her and she felt the heat burning through her. She couldn't think. He drew back, his eyes dark, a knowing smile on his lips, just for a moment. Then he leaned forward, and began kissing his way down her throat before moving back to her ear. His breath tickled as he whispered hoarsely to her, "my beautiful Belle, I want this to be everything you hoped, but you have to tell me what pleases you, and more importantly, if something does not. Do you understand?"

She tried to nod, to answer in some way, but the low, sensual growl had left her breathless. "Do you?" he asked again, nipping at her earlobe.

Dear Gods, he wasn't making it any easier. Did he have any idea what his voice was doing to her? she wondered. "Yes," she managed. "Yes, please..." she wasn't entirely certain what she was asking for, but his warm chuckle was enough to know that he heard her. She needed to do something, she wanted to feel more of him. Belle tugged at his tie again, trying to figure out how to get the annoying thing off.

Rumplestiltskin pulled back a moment and deftly loosened it before dropping it uncaring to the floor. "My turn," he said with a smile. The dress she had chosen for the day was a simple enough shirt dress with a row of buttons from top to hem. It had seemed a good choice at the time but now, it was sheer torture, as Rumple slowly opened each button, pressing a kiss to every inch of skin he revealed, leaving her aching and breathless. She tried to reach for him, wanting to reciprocate, but he managed to evade her, proceeding lower until all she could do was run a hand through his hair and whimper.

"Soon enough, love, but right now, allow me," he said as he opened the last button and folded the dress back like he was opening a particularly precious package. Belle wriggled her arms free and looked up at him, kneeling over her, eyes almost black, long hair falling forward, shadowing part of his face. He brushed it back carelessly, he was looking at her with a kind of reverence that was heartbreaking in its intensity. "Beautiful," he whispered, almost too low for her to hear.

Belle looked down and blushed, realising that she was wearing nothing but her dark blue underclothes and tights, while he was still almost completely dressed. She reached for him. "Please I want to touch..." she said pulling him close, her hands scrabbling over the fabric of his shirt, trying to get it undone. She needed to feel his skin against hers and he seemed to understand her rather incoherent request. He tugged at his cufflinks, freeing them and tossing them in the general direction of the night table, though neither of them noticed if they made it. Belle tried clumsily to unfasten the buttons. She managed to get the first few freed and reached out to caress his chest, finally. Rumplestiltskin hissed, and tugged his shirt free impatiently, sending the remaining buttons flying before pulling her close.

They kissed, hands exploring, pressed as close as they could be, until it was no longer enough. Belle reached down to tug at his belt insistently, as he was still overdressed.

"Impatient?" he growled softly. She nodded. "Not yet," was his reply as he leaned back, and turned his attention to her tights, pulling them over her hips as she squirmed to help. He pulled them free and cast them aside before taking her ankle in his hand and beginning to kiss his way up her leg. He paused at the top of her thigh, breathing deeply, before placing a kiss at the center. She flushed, feeling as if it was searing through her knickers, but he moved on, carefully exploring the curve of her hip, leaving a gentle love bite at the edge before moving back up.

Rumplestiltskin's hands found their way to her breasts, stroking gently over the fabric before trying the clasp. He struggled a bit, cursing it quietly before it gave. She could feel the blush come back, rising to cover her body. This was really happening. The thought clicked into place, here, in this bedroom, in the dim light cast by the lamp on the bedside, she was finally going to join with the man she loved. Just as quickly as the thought came, it was chased away as his hands and mouth moved to her skin, exploring her breasts as gently as he had the rest of her, and as throughly. She gasped as his mouth ghosted wet over her nipple, already risen in response to his touch. "So very sensitive," he whispered against her skin.

Belle reached for him, running her hands up his back and into his hair, relishing the feel of him. Then his mouth closed over her nipple, and she cried out. Her senses went hazy and all thoughts fled. He moved from one to the other, leaving her breathless. Her nails scraped down his back and it was his turn to moan. She tugged at his hair with one hand, uncertain exactly how much more she could stand. He seemed content to tease her until she lost her mind. "Rumple, I want..." She couldn't actually articulate what it was at the moment. This was so much more than her childish fantasies, and thanks to the background knowledge provided by the curse, she had a good idea of the mechanics, but right now, all she could do was feel.

Belle reached down again, determined this time, tugging on his belt, hoping that actions would make her point for her. She managed to almost free it when he reached up and turned her to look at him. "Are you certain, love?" he asked.

"Yes," Belle said, with the strength of her love and desire. His eyes darkened even more, something she would have thought impossible, were she thinking clearly. Then he kissed her again before giving in and unfastening his belt. Instantly she reached out, but he pulled away again.

"Not yet," he panted. "I don't want this to end too quickly." Instead he kissed her again. "Besides, I've not finished, I want to know all of you."

"I...you," she said vaguely, dragging her nails up his chest.

"Later, love," he hissed, but she knew that she had been understood. He shifted himself, moving lower, lifting her legs with one hand while the other pulled her knickers down. Before she could react, he was lifting his legs to either side of his body, sliding one finger across her wet flesh. She gasped and he looked at her almost startled. "So very wet," he said, putting his finger to his lips and licking. "And sweet." She blushed and trembled as he lowered his head, eyes still locked with hers until the moment he bent and kissed her slick folds. The kiss sent a shock through her, but before she could quite understand what he was about to do, his kiss turned into something more....tasting, teasing. She threaded her hands through his hair as if holding on to him would somehow keep her anchored. It had to be magic, she thought vaguely. Then his tongue flicked over something and she stopped being able to think. She felt his fingers exploring gently and his kiss, and then the world exploded behind her eyes. She cried out. It might have been his name, or it might have been a prayer to the Gods of pleasure, she wasn't sure, nor did she care.

Slowly, the world slid back into focus as he stroked her gently back to herself. "All right, love?" he asked, pressing a kiss beside her mouth. She slipped her hand behind his head and turned to kiss his lips. She could taste what could only be herself on him and pulled him even closer.

Her hand slipped down between them as her lips distracted him, and unfastened his trousers, determined that she was finally going to have her way. She tugged and he moved to slip his trousers off. Belle stretched her leg out around his hip to pull him back. "Rumple, I love you," she said, trying to articulate what was happening inside her. It was her turn. She slid her hands under the waist band of his boxers and tugged until he had to pull away to rid himself of them, and his socks. But the moment he was completely naked, he pulled her to him. He was hot, and she could feel the hardness against her, though he'd given her no time for a proper look. Still, there was later, she thought distractedly as he reached away from her, to put out the light.

"What..." she whispered, questioning.

"I'm no more lovely for the light, Belle," he said as she growled a protest.

She had thought that when she'd got him here... But she could work on that later, for now, she concentrated on pulling him as close to her as she could, while trying to explore. Her hands roamed down his back and over the curve of his arse, but when she tried to reach between them, he stopped her.

Taking her hand, he brought it to his lips. "Later, love," he promised. "Later you may have as much of me as you want." He helped her up more comfortably onto the pillows, and then moved over top of her. It felt good, his body pressing against her. He was kissing her again, and pressed against her thigh, the hardness that spoke of his own need. Their eyes locked as he reached between them. Then he was slipping inside her.

Belle gasped and he froze, while she adjusted to the unfamiliar feeling. But soon enough she wanted more. She nodded and he moved, very slowly at first. There was a moment of pain, and he stopped at her cry. For a moment, her mind was clear, the pleasure blown away, then slowly it faded as he apologised with his kisses. Then the pleasure began to take over again, as his talented hands danced over her and he found a particularly sensitive spot near her ear. Soon enough, he was moving, slowly...too slowly. He urged her leg up over his hip and her other one moved in response, holding him tight, pulling him into her. Rumple moved faster as her breath caught in her throat and she wondered how much more she could take. Then, something tightened and she felt it, her body tightening and she came apart. He was breathing hard, and his movements became erratic until he threw back his head and with a soft cry, he joined her.

They lay, boneless, unable to think or move. It could have been a minute, it could have been an hour. Time stopped having meaning. Then slowly, Rumplestiltskin pulled himself up onto his arms. His breathing had slowed to something more normal, but his eyes were still dark, and his skin was slick with sweat. "I should...I don't want to crush you," he said. Belle was comfortable, his warm body blanketing hers, but she supposed they should... do something. Reluctantly, she released him, but he only slid off her, and then pulled the duvet from where it was folded at the foot of the bed over them, before pulling her close into his embrace. "All good?" he asked, as if he wasn't certain what her response would be.

"Perfect," Belle said, snuggling down into his arms. Tomorrow, there would be things to tend to, the fallout of the curse breaking, probably other things that she couldn't even begin to think of right now, but for the moment, nothing mattered but that she was in her True Love's arms. Tomorrow could take care of itself. She kissed him and they drifted off to sleep as the sky over Storybrooke began to lighten, signaling the beginning of a new day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We have finally reached the end of a long, strange journey. Thank you for sharing it with me. Please comment, I would love to know what you think. A couple of things. I don't write smut, I'm not certain I'm any good at it, and it gives me hives, so I apologise if it's no good. Second, it's unbetad because my sister is my beta, and she just...no. 
> 
> Questions, comments, etc... you know what to do.
> 
> Also, there is a one shot in this !verse called 'Information Overload' written for my seven days, seven prompts series.
> 
> For those reading my other stories, I am going to be working on finishing Another World, and My Family Tree, not to mention new installments in the Daddy's Little Girl series of one shots, another in the 'Holiday's and other Firsts' series, revolving around the baby they are expecting, and a couple of prompts I need to clear up. I am also working on my first Enchanted Forest story. Before any one asks, is there a sequel to Enemies and Friends... Well, I have a couple of scenes, whether they will turn into one shots or a full sequel, I don't know, but if people want to read it, I might be persuaded.


	76. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a little coda and maybe a hint about the sequel which has been decided on.

It was the second day after the curse had broken when Rumplestiltskin and Belle finally left the large victorian for the first time, and then only reluctantly. In fact, had they been able to find peace, they'd not have left at all. However, they were going to the cabin. Already several people had come knocking on his door and he had no intention of sharing the first days of his relationship with anyone. He hadn't asnwered the door, but apparently the message was not getting out. He and Belle had too much lost time to make up for.

They stopped by the shop on Main Street. The sorcerer just wanted to check on it, and besides, there were a couple of things he wanted to pick up and some that he wanted to make certain were secure, now that magic had returned. Storybrooke seemed to be handling the new reality well enough, at least nothing was obviously wrong when they drove through town. No fires, no riots in the streets. They parked and entered the shop.

Once the door was open, Belle's eyes roamed around the store until they settled on a case of dusty books in the corner and he encouraged her to go and add a few to the things they were taking. He'd always loved it when she read to him and she had shown a preference recently for him reading to her as well. While she was at that, he went into the back room.

He checked the locks and was considering whether or not to move one or two pieces to his safe when he came across a half forgotten box. The moment he set eyes on it, he remembered exactly what was inside. Carefully, making certain to pull his gloves on, he lifted the lid. Inside was a velvet bag. He reached out and tipped the contents into his gloved palm. Yes, there it was, gleaming in the light. Oh, it would be so very easy, just the work of minutes. No one would ever know. ' _It's not as if you would be doing anything, just allowing nature to take its course,'_ the darkness whispered. It had been remarkably quiescent since the curse broke, locked in an almost full time defensive battle against the force of his and Belle's love, True Love. He reached out and traced it with one finger. It was a pretty thing, almost innocent looking. _'So easy to balance the scales...'_

"Rumple, what's that?" Belle asked. She had slipped in quietly while he had been lost in thought. She reached out but he closed his hand and pulled it away. "Tell me, what is it? What are you thinking? Rumple, talk to me."

"This is just a little trinket, but a dangerous one. It summons a wraith, a creature that is relentless and deadly. I don't want you to touch," his voice was far away and distracted. "It would be such a simple matter..."

"Rumple, no, you promised that you wouldn't," her anguished voice breaking through his distraction.

"Belle, I'm not a good man, love, not matter how much you wish otherwise. I should have sent you away, but I'm also a selfish one. The balance..."

"You are a better man than you think you are, and I love you regardless, all of you. I chose you and I will keep choosing you. Put that thing away, and I will go with you. I will stay by your side and together we will find a way to get to Bae, and get our own happy ending. I love you."

"But Regina..."

"Regina doesn't mean a thing, she's nothing to us. Let her live her life knowing that she lost what she loves most just for revenge. Besides, what can be a better way to redress the balance than by living and being happy together?  Do you not think that seeing us happy together is the best revenge?"

He paused to consider what Belle said. His beloved was brilliant as always. With her eyes on him, he dropped the amulet into the pouch and placed it back in the box. "Have I told you how much I love you?" Rumplestiltskin asked.

"And I love you, Rumplestiltskin," she told him, leaning forward. He tugged off his gloves and wrapped his arms around her. Slowly he bent his head to kiss her, all thoughts about revenge, Regina, or any thing but Belle fled at the touch of her lips.

"Rumplestiltskin, I know that's who..." a familiar voice called out, then stumbled as the owner came through the curtain. "I...I didn't...I need your...I'll just wait outside."

The man tightened his grip on Belle and cursed, all the while thinking fondly of turning the intruder into something...squishy. "It's all right, love. Do something, just give him whatever it is he wants and let us get away. You promised me a week of peace." He heartily agreed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, just a little something I had to add because it wouldn't go away and perhaps just a hint of a teaser for the sequel. To answer the question...Yes there will be one, and it will take on at least some aspects of S2 maybe into S3, though that's up in the air right now. The sequel will be called 'Enemies and Family' and will start to go up after I finish Another World. Thanks for all of you who followed this story, and I hope to see you for the next one.


	77. Chapter 77

Just a note for those who wanted a sequel. The beginning is up, it's called Enemies and Family. Thank you.


End file.
